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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24520714">The Last Kingdom</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Concker5000/pseuds/Concker5000'>Concker5000</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Naruto, RWBY</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Action/Adventure, F/M, Friendship, Gen, Romance, Struggling Heroes, Threatening Antagonists, Tragedy, Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 08:27:39</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>31,460</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24520714</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Concker5000/pseuds/Concker5000</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>It all begins with a single wish, a desire born from a pure heart to save everyone from tragedy. Yet darkness grows as does the boy, light reflected from broken mirrors. It was never a matter of good or bad, for they are one and the same. Nothing is ever that simple, the brightest day and the darkest night, the burning sun and the freezing void, faces of the same coin.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Blake Belladonna/Uzumaki Naruto, Jaune Arc/Pyrrha Nikos, Yang Xiao Long/Sasuke Uchiha</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Fated Day</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Disclaimer: I do not own Rwby, Naruto nor any of their respective Characters. They are property of Monty Oum and Masashi Kishimoto</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He was late.</p>
<p>The cerulean sky casted a peaceful and sound shine working in tandem with the sun. Warm breeze flowed through the populated streets encouraging both young and old to submerge into outside activities, and a smell of moisture retold a tale of the days past, when rain nuzzled the sleeping city in a caring embrace.</p>
<p>The city of Vale stood proud in all her glory. The day held promises of successful endeavors and tranquil events.</p>
<p>And yet…He was late.</p>
<p>He grumbled in irritation as his feet carried him with haste to his destination, drops slithering along his face, courtesy of his exertion.</p>
<p>People all around mingled happily in their daily activities, ignorant of his troubles.</p>
<p>If it were any other day he would have stopped to contemplate the landscape created by the smiles of the ordinary people, the save haven of humanity in this terrible, wonderful world.</p>
<p>That day, however, compromises had already been made. As such he had no choice but to keep his determined sprint with the vain hope that he could get there on time.</p>
<p>A woman walking out of a store suddenly stepped before him, clearly distracted with a conversation she was having with a male companion, forcing him to leap to the side towards the store, his feet landing in the wall of the building as his sprint continued.</p>
<p>"Ah!, I'm sorry Lady!" he exclaimed in agitation after almost bulldozing through a pedestrian in his hurry.</p>
<p>He wasn't able to notice the surprised look of the young woman who had fallen to her knees in shock after the event.</p>
<p>In that world there were people who could do amazing things, perform incredible feats of strength or even defy the laws of physics. Darkness had once threatened to consume humanity's light and the response had come in the form of Hunters, champions of justice who exceeded human's limitations, beacons of hope to the living creatures who were the targets of the Grimm.</p>
<p>The young man who had just run against a wall was such a specimen.</p>
<p>Blond hair weaved through the wind and tan muscles contracted in superhuman effort.</p>
<p>He was definitely going to kill his master once they met again.</p>
<p>A vehicle soon entered his field of vision when he reached the city port. A mechanical innovation the likes of which he had never seen.</p>
<p>Elated breath entered his lungs when he realized that, yes, he in fact was able to arrive before his ride left.</p>
<p>A guard close to the bullhead had a scorning gaze against him and the blond young man smiled sheepishly handing him a piece of paper.</p>
<p>The guard's eyes followed the ticket in his hand quickly reading the owner's name and the authorization seal. "Naruto…Uzumaki, huh?" he said returning his stern gaze to the now named Naruto.</p>
<p>The blond young man straightened his back and nodded confidently, a small grin marring his face "yes, sir" he responded hustling a bag he had been carrying for longer that he cared to admit.</p>
<p>"You're late" the words came almost immediately and his face fell in embarrassment, but before he could defend his circumstance the guard spoke once more "get inside, and for the love of god don't get into any more trouble" a sigh fell out of the guard turned to the side of the ship, waiting for its last passenger.</p>
<p>Naruto scratched his head and laughed awkwardly as he pressed forward closer to the door "right, sorry about that" he mumbled receiving no reply.</p>
<p>His hand fell towards the handle of the opened door, his only intention being to experience the feeling of touching such extravagant machine. The hard steel against his hand felt foreign, a different kind than what he was used to. He could almost feel the heat coming from the deep connections powering up the vehicle. A small smile graced his lips, thinking that regardless of the bothersome day he had been having, this was a good sign that the rest of his journey would be marginally better.</p>
<p>The guard's grumble prompted him to follow inside the bullhead, the door closing behind him.</p>
<p>With a pat to the machine as a signal, the guard left to his next assignment. The bullhead flew through the skies with destination to the place where the next generation of hunters would be raised.</p>
<p>The guard couldn't help but think of the kid he had just met, hunters were never easy to get along with, but with time he had developed an eye for those who were particularly troublesome. Taking a cigar out of his pocket and into his mouth, he acknowledged that Naruto Uzumaki was definitely going to cause him trouble in the future. The light in his hand returned to his pocket after the cigar was lit and with his other hand he took it out to exhale the grey smoke, a sigh followed in self-pity at the prospect of that being true.</p>
<p>"Hey Kotetsu, let's get going" a man with shoulder-length brown hair called out to him</p>
<p>The guard known as Kotetsu followed along choosing to forget about it for the time being.</p>
<p>-THELASTKINGDOMTHELASTKINGDOMTHELASTKINGDOMTHELASTKINGDOM-</p>
<p>The inside of the ship was nothing to sneeze at, but he quickly lost interest after a few minutes of inspection, he couldn't interact with a machine after all.</p>
<p>His eyes went to his clothes that fortunately had suffered no significant damage from his arduous journey. Orange trousers with black stripes bordering it covered strong legs and a black shirt with a spiral symbol protected his upper body, his trusted jacket hidden safely in his backpack. His gaze turned to the window and a grin formed once more on his mouth, the excitement quickly overflowing his body.</p>
<p>He had never been to a combat academy, instead having been trained by his most esteemed master and resident pervert.</p>
<p>It was so surreal he couldn't contain the gleam in his eyes as he observed the visage changing with the flying of the ship.</p>
<p>Furry ears twitched detecting sound all around him. Whispers traveled through the cabin with definite intent.</p>
<p>His sky blue eyes turned finding several people with him. All of them teenagers ready to become the heroes that would protect the four kingdoms. He noticed the wariness in more than one pair of eyes, his own narrowing slightly in understanding. A furry appendage reached his right hand and he rubbed his tail slowly. He had prepared for this, put more time in it than he would have liked so with no small amount of determination he took a breath and put on a smile as he returned his gaze to the sky outside.</p>
<p>A few minutes went by as the ship got closer to the academy, many people getting comfortable in groups and chatting amicably.</p>
<p>A troubling sound alerted him of another blond young man who was holding his hand against his mouth in an effort to prevent the unfortunate discharge of gastric fluids.</p>
<p>His nose wrinkled in apprehension, the normal faunus could smell around three times better than normal humans depending on the nature of their animal genetics. As such he could very well smell the product of the young man's troubles.</p>
<p>An amused grin adorned his face; he supposed excitement didn't come without nervousness.</p>
<p>Fortunately for the young man and the passengers aboard the bullhead, the vehicle finally came to a stop in what he assumed was the academy's private ports.</p>
<p>Without wasting time the guy went straight to a garbage bin that was next to the exit of the airship to empty the contents of his stomach, the other students following without paying him much mind besides some disgusted looks and others filled with what he thought was pity.</p>
<p>He snorted before moving to get the stiffness away from his body and then following through the exit. He took a moment to observe his surroundings as soon as he was out of the machine.</p>
<p>A world of fantasy was probably the most accurate description for what was before his eyes.</p>
<p>A castle brought from the stories of kings and knights and round tables.</p>
<p>Pristine grey walls formed a gargantuan fortress, worthy of those who would bear the title of hunter.</p>
<p>Red banners were posted forming a path to the castle.</p>
<p>Tall pillars arranged in elegant structures, the pinnacle of human hope.</p>
<p>He took a steady breath, trying to absorb everything.</p>
<p>He had only ever heard of beacon from passing stories from his master, of how humanity had struggled, fought and endured.</p>
<p>His heart beat powerfully against his cage, it was somehow overwhelming.</p>
<p>An explosion not far from him startled him out of his thoughts. His eyes widened in surprise. He had been there barely more than ten minutes and things were already exploding, huh, perhaps he would fit right in on this school.</p>
<p>He approached the young girls who had been the apparent cause of the explosion.</p>
<p>A pretty inky-haired girl was twiddling with her fingers attempting to apologize to a snow-haired teen.</p>
<p>An exotic black dress covered her pale body and an apple red cape fell down her shoulders, her soft cheeks colored pink in embarrassment.</p>
<p>She had thin eyebrows sitting above the most unique set of silver eyes he had ever seen, and her straight nose complemented her delicate features in a way it was difficult to describe. If this was a castle of fantasy, she surely had to be the princess of the story.</p>
<p>In his humble opinion the girl was beautiful, if a little young for his tastes</p>
<p>His eyes traveled to the other teen in the white clothes. He had to take back his previous thought about the pretty dark-haired girl being the princess of the children's tale, this girl just screamed princess any way he looked at her.</p>
<p>She had snow white hair characteristic of the famous Schnee family so she was probably indeed related to them in some way.</p>
<p>She dressed an elegant, expensive dress that hugged her frame perfectly, complementing her ivory skin in a way that almost left him breathless.</p>
<p>Her stance, posture and her overall body language just revealed her upbringing as a member of the high society.</p>
<p>Damn did this school have pretty women. He was liking this school more and more by the minute.</p>
<p>"This is exactly the kind of thing I was talking about" he heard the snow-hair colored girl say as she put her hands on her hips in indignation</p>
<p>He realized quickly this was probably her most prominent character flaw; she did seem a little bratty. He had never met anyone with a high enough status to be treated like royalty, but he supposed this girl was not far from that.</p>
<p>"I'm really, really sorry" said the silver eyed teen meekly in mortification. She had probably been the cause of the accident then.</p>
<p>"You dolt, what are you even doing here in the first place?" the other girl quickly continued as she extended her arms and took a step closer to emphasize her point. "aren't you a little young to be attending beacon?"</p>
<p>Naruto got a little irritated at that, he understood how the girl must have been feeling; he wouldn't like it either if someone just happened to make an explosion right in his face, but the kid had already apologized and she clearly had had no intention of doing it.</p>
<p>She was outrageously pretty but he was not just going to let her bully some poor kid because of an accident.</p>
<p>"Hey, she said she was sorry, alright?" he finally said reaching the place of the discussion. A pair of silver eyes and one of crystal blue eyes turned to him in slight surprise, not expecting the arrival of another student.</p>
<p>"I don't think she did it intentionally, right?" he said posing his eyes on the caped teen, his hands crossed behind his head, and softly smiling at her.</p>
<p>"That's right" the redhead responded, relieved someone had helped her there, she was not very good communicating with other people, so she was glad for the much needed intervention.</p>
<p>"See? No harm done" he turned to the white-themed teen with a friendly grin in a show of non-hostility, hoping that perhaps he was reciprocated.</p>
<p>She had pursed her lips as if she wanted to say something but couldn't, a frustrated glare sent his way, somehow much less intense that what it had been a minute ago.</p>
<p>"Why don't we try getting along Miss…" he said lowering his arms and taking a step towards her, the other girl looking hopeful for friendly resolution.</p>
<p>"Weiss Schnee" came the name but not from the girl herself.</p>
<p>Instead another girl with beautiful black tresses approached them holding a tube with what Naruto assumed to be dust inside, golden eyes observing them in a mixture of amusement and apathy.</p>
<p>His eyes unconsciously traveled down her legs wearing purple-black leggings, and carefully examined the rest of her attire and body.</p>
<p>A white sleeveless shirt was covered with a black vest accentuating her breasts, leaving her creamy arms uncovered except for the black armband on her left arm and some black bands on her right.</p>
<p>Boy was he having good luck today.</p>
<p>"Heiress to the Schnee dust company" she continued without noticing Naruto's wandering eyes "One of the largest producers of energy propellant in the world"</p>
<p>He turned his gaze once more when he heard the heiress huff trying to reclaim her bravado. "Finally, some recognition" she said looking at the silver eyed teen only to look back at the newcomer when she heard the response.</p>
<p>"The same company infamous for its controversial labor forces and its questionable business partners" carried on the amber-eyed teen a little more indifferently this time.</p>
<p>He could almost anticipate the actions of the small heiress as she quickly approached the object of her embarrassment.</p>
<p>"What…How dare…The nerve…ugh" she said taking the tube the girl was carrying and leaving huffing in indignation.</p>
<p>So much for friendly resolution.</p>
<p>He would have sighed if he hadn't heard the pretty black-haired teen doing so.</p>
<p>He noticed the mysterious golden-eyed girl leaving in the other direction before turning to the disappointed teen who kept her eyes on the retreating heiress "I guess I'm not the only one having rough first day" she muttered</p>
<p>"Ah, you're alright" he said surprising the teen, smiling at her.</p>
<p>She smiled sheepishly at him "Thank you…for that" she said softly, in truth she hadn't been prepared at all to deal with something like this, she blamed her sister. "I'm Ruby" she continued hoping to at least get one right today.</p>
<p>"Naruto, good to meet you." He replied as they started walking towards the castle. "How did you even cause that explosion though?" he asked in wonder, maybe she wanting to show off had accidentally released a dust charged attack.</p>
<p>Ruby flinched but told the story anyway feeling a little more at ease with the guy with whiskers on his cheeks than the yelling princess.</p>
<p>They walked serenely for a while, she telling the events leading to that point and him listening with varying degrees of reactions.</p>
<p>When she was done, he couldn't help a small cackle leaving his mouth "That is some bad luck you got there Ruby"</p>
<p>She blushed in embarrassment, hopefully something like that wouldn't happen again.</p>
<p>As they walked silently she turned to look at her new companion, curiosity driving her to inspect him.</p>
<p>He was a head taller than her, broad shoulders and defined arm muscles revealed the rigorous training he had probably gone through. A jade necklace hung around his neck, shining beautifully as it made contact with the rays of the sun.</p>
<p>His skin was somewhat tan; it seemed he was used to spending a lot of time outdoors. A serene smile adorned his features and she couldn't help thinking he looked rather handsome, in a rugged sort of way.</p>
<p>His golden locks were short but soft-looking, undulating with the movements of the air.</p>
<p>He had the bluest eyes she had ever seen, vibrant and friendly, it was as if she was looking at an ocean in a bright sunny day. Whiskers cut through his cheeks, three in each, reminding her that this person was a faunus.</p>
<p>She smiled noticing his adorable looking ears, also yellow in color, if a little long. They resembled that of a fox, so it was not hard to imagine what kind of faunus he was. She also noticed the fluffy tail moving softly from side to side, showing he was likely in a good mood.</p>
<p>It was funny actually, to see a bulky teen and associating him with fluffiness. She put a fist to her mouth trying to catch a giggle from escaping her. He seemed like a nice person, and she hoped they would be able to become friends.</p>
<p>"What is it?" he asked, still smiling when he heard her little giggle</p>
<p>She shook her head with a little grin "It's nothing, just thinking I liked your ears. Are they as soft as they look?" she asked in wonder.</p>
<p>"Sure are, and they're warm, which is a plus because I don't have to wear any annoying caps in winter" he replied putting his hands back behind his head.</p>
<p>She giggled again watching his bragging grin.</p>
<p>They let a few moments pass in comfortable silence, genuinely enjoying each other's company. Unknowingly to both of them, such an event was a rare occurrence. For her it was because she was rather socially awkward, and for him because he didn't spend much time with many people.</p>
<p>A new topic of conversation came to Ruby's mind, curiosity filling her.</p>
<p>She turned to look at her companion but was halted from releasing any words by her poor social skills, not knowing how to exactly approach the subject.</p>
<p>With no better idea she decided to just say it "so…I got this" she spoke taking out the weapon she had been carrying, releasing its full battle form.</p>
<p>A red mechanized pole lay in her enclosed fist, a curved blade at the end gleaming with deadly edge. Engines roared as the transformation of her weapon was carried out.</p>
<p>His eyes widened and he made a double take, seeing this little girl holding such a deadly weapon.</p>
<p>His gaze then went to her weapon as he studied it. A scythe was rather rare to see among the weapons of a hunter so he was pleasantly surprised. He couldn't help letting a "Woaaah" out of his mouth.</p>
<p>She was elated with his reaction.</p>
<p>"Amazing, the craftsmanship is excellent" he said approaching her, looking at the well smithed blade "May I?" he asked with stars in his eyes, he had seen his fair share of weapons but he had to appreciate a beauty when he saw one.</p>
<p>"Of course" she replied giving him a close eyed smile, excited to hear his full thoughts on it as she handed him her weapon.</p>
<p>He took it with much care, observing meticulously the work that had been put in its construction. He noticed the ridges where the weapon was to make its transformation along with the structure at the top resembling a custom barrel for a gun.</p>
<p>"A high caliber sniper rifle doubling as a scythe, huh, this kicks so much ass" he said branding the weapon in a quick slash motion. An impressed grin adorned his face as he turned his gaze at her returning her weapon.</p>
<p>"Right? I made it myself" she said pride filling her as she looked at her work of art "her name is Crescent Rose" she continued hugging it close to her, her little obsession surfacing.</p>
<p>"No kidding, I've seen few weapons crafted with such care, that scythe is really something else" he now understood the kind of expectancy this school had in its students. If she was able to wield that weapon as well as she crafted it, she was definitely a strong fighter.</p>
<p>A desire to test his skills against hers suddenly came to him, but he refrained for now since they hadn't even spent a day here.</p>
<p>She nodded enthusiastically returning her weapon back to storage form where she put it in her back. "What kind of weapon do you have?" she asked excitedly, taking a step towards him, as her eyes gleamed in wonder.</p>
<p>He gave her a mischievous grin as he put the backpack he was holding on the ground.</p>
<p>She looked on with curiosity.</p>
<p>Out of his bag he took two short swords, one blue and one green. He threw the green one at her "this is Tempest" he said as she caught it gracefully with practiced ease.</p>
<p>She inspected it like it was a treasure chest just discovered.</p>
<p>It was double edged getting denser in the center forming a barrel she assumed became a gun. She noticed the connecting points of the blades at the top of the sword forming an inverted triangle; she speculated it was there where the transformation started.</p>
<p>It was rather heavy for a short sword so she knew it was loaded with dust. At the center of the cross-guard, there was an emblem of a fox engraved. This made her suspect he had also made it himself.</p>
<p>"It's incredible, it has just enough reach to defend yourself in close quarters, and it also becomes a gun" she squealed making a practice thrust "Very astute" she continued slashing an imaginary enemy trying to get the balance of the weight just right.</p>
<p>"Thanks" he said rubbing his nose with his finger in a bragging fashion "Handmade and assembled by yours truly. I also used a different combination of metals for the base and the blades" he continued approaching her.</p>
<p>She turned and handed him the weapon receiving the other one to inspect as well "I noticed, the edges are sharp but smooth whereas the base feels sturdy and strong, clearly a blade made to cleave large objects" she continued gushing over as she examined the other blade.</p>
<p>"That's a good eye you got there, just wait and see what it does in battle" he said as they continued on their way towards the auditorium.</p>
<p>The conversation flowed smoothly between them, each getting more comfortable with one another as they bonded over their shared passion for weapons.</p>
<p>-THELASTKINGDOMTHELASTKINGDOMTHELASTKINGDOMTHELASTKINGDOM-</p>
<p>They arrived at the auditorium soon enough, the formal speech of the headmaster yet to even begin. In fact he wasn't even there yet.</p>
<p>Naruto took a moment to observe the other individuals in the room.</p>
<p>There were several people around, more than he could count; he supposed it was proper of applicants for a renowned academy such as beacon.</p>
<p>Young men and women with different backgrounds and personalities mingled around the large room, chatting and whispering eager for the next part in their trials to become legitimate hunters in training.</p>
<p>Some were already making friends and alliances, others just getting to know one another, his eyes turned when he heard a voice mentioning a familiar name.</p>
<p>"Ruby over here, I saved you a spot" Said a blonde girl waving her arms at his companion</p>
<p>He had to consciously close his mouth before he started drooling like a dumbass. This girl was a bombshell of a woman.</p>
<p>Puffy golden locks fell symmetrically down her shoulders to her lower back, fair skin bordering her womanly curves.</p>
<p>She dressed a brown jacket that left her belly uncovered and puffy sleeves with black cuffs leaving the rest of her arms free with the exception of her golden bracelets and fingerless gloves.</p>
<p>Underneath that a yellow tank top covered her breasts emphasizing her womanly assets.</p>
<p>His eyes traveled down her navel noticing her brown belt holding a piece of white cloth that went down to her knees from the back, and black shorts covering a small part of her lower body.</p>
<p>Her brown boots were also rather long, and her socks were the same color as the scarf she was wearing.</p>
<p>He really blamed his master for turning him into such a pervert; he used to be so innocent.</p>
<p>Ruby turned to him eager for them to continue their conversation with the company of golden haired girl</p>
<p>"Naruto come meet my sister" she said taking his wrist and dragging him to the girl's side without even letting him respond "Yang this is my new friend Naruto, Naruto this is my sister Yang" she continued smiling widely at them.</p>
<p>He got back his composure quickly enough, managing to give her a friendly smile as ruby let go of his wrist "Nice to meet you" he said looking at her pretty violet eyes.</p>
<p>"Well hello~ there handsome" she said smiling at him flirtatiously, as she ogled him rather boldly before crossing her arms beneath her bust, his cheeks turned the slightest shade of pink.</p>
<p>"I see you've been taking care of my little sister, hope she didn't scare you away with all her weapon-maniac act" she continued her amused smile turning to her sister who's face turned pink in embarrassment.</p>
<p>"How do you know she wasn't taking care of me?" he replied gaining the attention of both girls, he gave the older teen a confident smile before putting his hand on top of the scythe user's head "she's actually pretty cool, I even got to see her rocking scythe, right?" he said turning to the silver eyed girl, giving her an encouraging smile that she returned graciously</p>
<p>Yang observed their interaction amused, it seemed ruby had indeed made a friend "Oh, I like this one little sister, great job. I approve, just don't go doing naughty things too early alright?" she said with a teasing smile, knowing already how the teens were going to react.</p>
<p>Both Naruto and Ruby's faces burned in embarrassment at the older girls comment, the little girl turning to her sister in mortification "YANG!" she exclaimed, her arms extended as she approached her.</p>
<p>Naruto stood silently observing as the pretty blond laughed at their expense, his own face still shaded red. He understood then what kind of devil this girl was.</p>
<p>Yang continued laughing as Ruby pounded lightly her arm trying to get sisterly retribution "alright, alright why don't you tell me how your first day went little sister" she said getting her to stop and regain her normal face color.</p>
<p>The little dark haired teen glared at her sister as she crossed her arms in annoyance, it had been the first time Naruto had seen the girl show a negative emotion besides embarrassment and disappointment, he looked on with curiosity waiting to see how the conversation was going to unfold.</p>
<p>"What, you mean after you ditched me and I exploded" she said looking away from her recalling the events of that morning, her face once again reddening in shame.</p>
<p>"Yikes meltdown already?" the purple eyed teen said, surprised thinking that it would take a little more time for her socially awkward sister to go off.</p>
<p>"No! I literally exploded a hole in front of the school. And there was some fire and I think some ice" she said putting a hand to her chin trying to recall the right sequence of events.</p>
<p>The older teen looked at her, confusion clear in her eyes "Are you being sarcastic?" she finally said with smile, expecting her sister to confirm it was some sort of joke.</p>
<p>Naruto observed as she proceeded to retell the story to the blond girl, a small smile gracing his lips noting with amusement the quirkiness of the silver eyed teen.</p>
<p>His eyes turned once more as his thoughts went to the rest of the applicants, several weapons and armors catching his attention. Sturdy, light, heavy, modern, traditional, it was like being inside a king's armory.</p>
<p>He briefly wondered about the skill of the other students, surely there were some strong people around; the desire to test his own abilities came back full force. This was after all the summit of the strongest in the land.</p>
<p>His mind went back to the time when his master had revealed he would be attending beacon.</p>
<p>Since his childhood, deep forests and perilous environments had been the common settings. The new living conditions were a strange if not welcomed change.</p>
<p>Still in a weird way his senses were heightened resembling those of an animal's in an enclosed space. He felt somewhat restless, his muscles itching for the familiar strain of arduous training.</p>
<p>He closed his eyes and took a deep breath; he would go hunting soon enough.</p>
<p>Despite that his eyes focused on interesting individuals that stood out from the rest.</p>
<p>The golden eyed girl who they had met not long ago stood far away from them, somewhat close to the platform where the headmaster was to give his speech.</p>
<p>Standing there all by herself, she casted a lonely figure that made his heart churn, memories of a distant past overlapped with the image before his eyes.</p>
<p>The desire to go to her and invite her to their little group came to him but he suspected she would reject him briskly.</p>
<p>Still he turned to the girls who had met with the white-haired heiress before taking a step towards the amber-eyed student "Hey guys I'm going for a walk, we'll meet up later" he said waving a hand in a wave of good bye.</p>
<p>They turned to him as their squabble was interrupted, purple and silver eyes observing with confusion as their new acquaintance walked away with untroubled steps.</p>
<p>Weiss Schnee's gaze shined with recognition as her vision captured the figure of that morning, which had inadvertently intrigued her slightly due to the unusual way in which he interacted with her.</p>
<p>He weaved through the crowd slowly, approaching the girl of his troubled thoughts as he casted a glance at the other subjects of interest.</p>
<p>A red-haired woman stood to the left side of the room with the poise and body of a warrior very rarely seen among young hunters.</p>
<p>Unlike the rest of the rest of the applicants her body language exuded discipline and control.</p>
<p>His gaze then went to a pair of guys on the right side of the auditorium chatting excitedly about something that escaped him, well at least one of them. The other had dark glasses and a high collar jacket that prevented him from identifying any emotion on his face.</p>
<p>He didn't look particularly strong but his trained eye was able to notice the movements of his head as he studied the competition. He had the suspicion that his strength lied closer to his intellect and strategic skills.</p>
<p>The former instead looked to be completely the opposite of his companion. Red marks resembling fangs fell down his cheeks symmetrically, not unlike war-paint used by Faunus tribes.</p>
<p>He was taller than Naruto by a few inches and his chest was largely uncovered wearing only an open leather brown vest. His figure spoke of feral training, his body filled with healed scars over his ripped muscles. A necklace made of wolf fangs connected by a thread hung loosely on his neck, and silver bracelets covered his wrists.</p>
<p>He also wore cargo pants and brown boots to complete the image of a beast hunter, he reminded Naruto of himself slightly. Without noticing a smirk formed in his face, curious to see where their similarities ended.</p>
<p>His eyes finally settled on the most mysterious figure of them all.</p>
<p>A guy stood against the wall with his arms crossed on his chest. A purple long-sleeved hoody covered the entirety of his upper body, and blue pants covered the entirety of his legs, white sneakers completing his attire.</p>
<p>At a simple glance he didn't look special at all; in fact he seemed rather forgettable, the hood up obscuring his face to everyone almost made him look like a background character in a movie.</p>
<p>His eyes narrowed in closer inspection. He was the same height as him, and despite being deprived of seeing his body shape by the hoodie, his large frame identified him as a male.</p>
<p>Long black-blue strands of hair fell down the sides of his face getting past the hoodie and reaching past his chin, ivory skin shadowed by the purple fabric.</p>
<p>His posture was relaxed, excessively so in his opinion. Unlike everyone else the guy seemed to hold no interest in mingling with the other students, nor was he showing any inkling of nervousness or excitement of any other emotion for that matter.</p>
<p>More alarming was the fact that his instincts told him to be careful of him, his uneasiness growing the longer he stared at him. As much as he tried he wasn't able to identify the cause of such reaction.</p>
<p>His body language was completely non-hostile, and his presence was even lower than the average student given that he was neither uttering a word not moving a muscle.</p>
<p>These thoughts ran through his mind as he closed the distance between him and the girl.</p>
<p>He stood for a moment facing her back, thinking of what to say not wanting to screw up.</p>
<p>"Hey" he finally decided on saying calmly approaching her from the side, her exotic eyes turning to him with a mixture curiosity, recognition, and indifference. "I didn't manage to get your name since you left so quickly before. Not a people person, huh?" he said smiling friendly at her.</p>
<p>"I didn't see any point in my staying" she said brushing off his comment and returning her gaze at the grey platform "and my name is Blake" she continued without looking at him, thinking that perhaps he would go away if she didn't feed his attention.</p>
<p>"Blake…that's a pretty name" he said not expecting a reaction. She didn't turn confirming his thoughts. "My name is Naruto, it's good to meet you" he said offering her a smile "are you nervous about the initiation test?" he continued genuinely wanting to know how the girl was faring so far.</p>
<p>Her golden gaze turned to him for a brief moment before going back to the front of the auditorium "Not really." She muttered with a semblance of apathy.</p>
<p>He couldn't help but smile at her attempts of brushing him off, she seemed like a guarded sort of person, but he felt she was not unkind. He wondered if she expected to go the whole school term without acquiring any friends.</p>
<p>"For my part, I'm so excited I can't wait to begin" he said grinning at her with all the strength of his sunny spirit.</p>
<p>Her eyes turned back to him in curiosity wondering why he was insisting on talking to her after being brushed off with her bad attitude.</p>
<p>Her gaze roamed over his tan features and his blinding grin, a light feeling invaded her heart seeing such expression of happiness over something so trivial. "How so?" she ventured to ask, expecting him to start going off about heroes, monsters, fame and glory, like the majority of people she had met so far. Thinking that perhaps there was no harm in engaging in healthy conversation.</p>
<p>Both teens stood close together between the other applicants, he looking at her with a friendly smile and her looking at him somewhat warily.</p>
<p>He turned to the platform as well expecting the headmaster to arrive soon "It is one step closer to achieve my dream" he said with a soft expression, turning to her his clear blue eyes filled with passion.</p>
<p>She felt like gulping suddenly looking at that earnest expression, she wondered if that kind look was as genuine as it seemed. "Your dream?" she asked authentically curious about the kind of ambition someone like him possessed.</p>
<p>His eyes glazed for a moment lost in a faraway place, before turning back to her, his familiar smile back on his face "Yeah, I want to become a hunter so i can keep people from crying for as long as I can" he said cryptically, an unbidden feeling lacing his words with yearning.</p>
<p>She observed him with interested eyes, the meaning of his words though implied, was clear enough for her to understand. Like her he just wanted to help people, as simple as that. She smiled softly at him, the desire to encourage such ambition lurching beneath her skin. "That is…a nice dream" she finished turning to the platform in a greater mood than how she had been in a while.</p>
<p>Their conversation was postponed with the arrival of a middle aged man holding a cane, his figure drawing the attention of all the students in the room.</p>
<p>His hair was the color of ash. His skin was light, and he wore shaded spectacles that did not conceal his brown eyes.</p>
<p>A formal dark green suit made up his attire with a green scarf tied to his neck.</p>
<p>His posture was rather serious, a stoic yet not unkind expression molding his face.</p>
<p>He spoke not giving him time to make a closer inspection, his words cryptic yet seemingly wise.</p>
<p>"I'll keep this brief" he said glancing over the audience without stopping at anyone in particular "You've traveled here today in search of knowledge, to hone your craft and acquire new skills. And when you have finished, you plan to dedicate your live to the protection of the people. But I look amongst you and all I see is wasted energy, in need of purpose, direction. You assume knowledge will free you of this, but your time at this school will prove that knowledge can only carry you so far. It is up to you to take the first step" he continued registering the confused faces of the students who didn't know what to make of his speech.</p>
<p>Naruto observed him intrigued, not truly understanding what the headmaster was trying to tell them, the man himself seemed rather strange, in all honesty he didn't know what to think of him.</p>
<p>The headmaster abandoned the platform being replaced by a mature woman, whose golden locks fell down the right side of her face with undulated shape.</p>
<p>Attractive yet sharp features turned to a serious frown as jade green eyes glanced at everyone in the room "you will gather in the ballroom tonight" she said, a voice softer than what he had expected flowing freely with informational intent.</p>
<p>"Tomorrow your initiation begins, you are dismissed" she finished following after the headmaster.</p>
<p>Like magic every student started leaving the room leisurely following the guides to the ballroom.</p>
<p>"I have to get going, I'll…see you around" said Blake, a meaningful stare sent his way before she left towards the rest of the students.</p>
<p>"Yeah, see ya" he said watching her get farther and farther away, as he scratched the back of his head. He had been impulsive, but at least it hadn't gone wrong, her beautiful golden eyes flashing through his mind made him sigh dreamily. "That girl" he thought rubbing the base of his nose, he really wanted to get to know her better.</p>
<p>He made his way to the ballroom as well where the students were supposed to rest for the day, a man at the door handing him a sleeping bag to use.</p>
<p>He gratiously accepted it, before turning his gaze looking for a place to put his belongings. Many had already settled, sleeping bags spread all around the room as people continued their socializing with their new acquaintances and friends. He couldn't see Yang or Ruby anywhere so he supposed they were probably changing somewhere.</p>
<p>He walked deep inside the room, searching from side to side for a small place to himself.</p>
<p>He didn't know for how long lights were going to be on so he tried to quicken his pace, finding a place in far corner of the room.</p>
<p>A guy was sitting against the wall on a sleeping bag with his knee up and the other leg extended, holding a small book in his open hand.</p>
<p>Right next to the space he chose to sleep for the night.</p>
<p>Midnight blue locks flanked the sides on his face and formed bangs down his narrow forehead, his hair getting spiky towards the back resembling a crow's wing.</p>
<p>He froze once he came close to him for several reasons.</p>
<p>This guy was the same one he had been watching back in the auditorium, the one who had been wearing the purple hoodie.</p>
<p>His uneasiness had decreased by that point but his instincts still flared with caution once his eyes were posed on his form.</p>
<p>The other was because without the hood he could finally see what he had been hiding back in the other room.</p>
<p>Elegant aristocratic features made up his face, straight nose and thin lips resembling the carvings of ancient statues.</p>
<p>He had the strange feeling that this guy was probably a model, no way was someone that physically attractive not hoarded or bothered for attention, especially from the female side of the spectrum.</p>
<p>A small flame of competitiveness was born in his heart in that that moment, somehow his male instincts recognized a worthy rival to prove himself against.</p>
<p>Still he abandoned the goofiness to study the individual a little more closely. Like him, he had broad shoulders that where hidden by a long-sleeved black shirt that left his clavicles uncovered.</p>
<p>Unfortunately he still wasn't able to appraise his target based on his physical condition due to low visibility. White pajama pants covered his legs leaving his feet uncovered.</p>
<p>"Hey, this spot occupied?" he said motioning for the place in question. His eyes observing him warily curious about the strange vibe this guy was giving him.</p>
<p>"Don't you have any eyes?" a deep velvet voice assaulted him smoothly, sarcasm lacing his words strongly.</p>
<p>The guy's form unchanging as he kept reading the book he was holding and Naruto felt irritation for the second time that day. This time however, he didn't bother being tactful.</p>
<p>"I was trying to be polite, jerk!" he said throwing his sleeping bag and his backpack next to him unceremoniously. His gaze turned when he heard the raven-haired guy speak.</p>
<p>"Yeah, smart move dumbass" replied the Navy-haired guy indifferently, his gaze still trapped in the confines of his book.</p>
<p>A small vein erupted from his forehead in aggravation; he acknowledged this guy knew just how to piss him off.</p>
<p>"What the hell is your problem jackass?!" he said holding a fist close to his chest his irritated glare sent to the other boy in full force.</p>
<p>"You not shutting up "said the other boy trying to tune out the moron who had disturbed his peace.</p>
<p>His expression remained calm and his gaze was still immersed in his little book, further irritating him more than he already was.</p>
<p>"Looking to get your ass kicked before the initiation test even begins?" he said narrowing his eyes as he punched the palm of his hand in a show of intimidation.</p>
<p>That comment did get the attention of the other boy, his book closing noisily along with his hand.</p>
<p>The Navy-haired boy stood up gracefully and for the first time Naruto was able to get some information of worth. His stance held neither practice nor discipline, no traces of training he could identify, yet somehow the uneasiness suddenly grew tremendously.</p>
<p>His pride prevented him from following through with his animal instincts and taking a step back. His narrowed blue orbs waited anxiously for his next movement.</p>
<p>Pitch black pools clashed against cerulean orbs, their intensity surprising the blonde teen.</p>
<p>Eyes that held nothing but mirth and a cold amusement started at him in a way that left him restless.</p>
<p>A closed vault that left him unable to see either feelings or emotions but the ones the raven head teen wanted him to see.</p>
<p>He hadn't expected to meet someone like him, a complete enigma, yet he stood his ground not faltering for any reason.</p>
<p>"As if you could take me on in a fight." The obsidian-eyed boy said, putting his hands in his pockets along with the book he was carrying. A mocking smirk graced his face, his hair rocking softly with the little air in the room.</p>
<p>"Take you on? I could beat you to a bloody pulp" the blond said taking a step forward returning the smirk right back at him.</p>
<p>"Stop daydreaming, you couldn't even scratch my forehead" said the indigo haired teen motioning to his forehead with his thumb, also stepping forward leaving them face to face.</p>
<p>"Is that a challenge, bastard?" Naruto said, a feral grin forming in his mouth.</p>
<p>"What do you think, Blockhead?" the other boy replied, a frosty smirk coating his factions.</p>
<p>Tension rose like a spring contracting ready to go off at any second.</p>
<p>Naruto's hands trembled in anticipation, waiting to see who was going to make the first move.</p>
<p>The stranger's hands cracked in preparation, a deadly preamble for the actions to come.</p>
<p>Before either of them could make a move however a voice called over grasping the attention of the blond hunter in training.</p>
<p>"Naruto!" Ruby exclaimed happily as she approached them, her sister following close behind.</p>
<p>Just like that the tension that had been building deflated instantaneously, both boys' attention on the pretty girls that had interrupted them.</p>
<p>Naruto noticed the change in attire pleasantly.</p>
<p>Ruby wore a thin sleeveless black shirt, leaving her pale arms bare. Her pajama pants were white with pink dots, and she had an eye mask tied to her forehead with two red patches at the center.</p>
<p>Yang had changed to a sleeveless orange shirt and black shorts that somewhat resembled those she was wearing before.</p>
<p>He smiled once he saw them; they were after all the first friends he had made there in beacon.</p>
<p>"There you are, we were looking for you, why didn't you go back like you said" ruby said happy to once again carry a conversation with the energetic boy.</p>
<p>"Yeah hotshot, my sister's been looking around for you like a maiden in love, you shouldn't toy with girl's feelings like that you know" Yang said before Naruto could respond with a teasing smile, the mentioned teens acquiring new levels of red from embarrassment.</p>
<p>"YANG!" the pretty dark-haired girl exclaimed in mortification, victim to her sister's jokes for a second time that day, casing the older girl to start laughing at their expense.</p>
<p>The Navy-haired boy observed curious their interaction before turning to inspect the girl's figures infinitely more discreetly than the one he now identified as Naruto had done before.</p>
<p>His eyes roamed over the blond girl's body as they were masked by the reappearance of his little book. He sometimes wondered if his guardian was a bad influence on him.</p>
<p>Ruby turned when she saw from the corner of her eye the other person who had been talking with Naruto, feeling rude for interfering in such a manner.</p>
<p>"Ah, i'm sorry I didn't mean to interrupt you and your friend so suddenly" she said eyeing Naruto before turning to the other boy when she suddenly froze.</p>
<p>Yang looked at Ruby when she spoke before she too turned to the other guy she hadn't seen talking with Naruto.</p>
<p>Their thoughts fell under the same wavelength as large blushes spread over their cheeks.</p>
<p>Ruby was feeling short of breath as her eyes followed the stranger's features, his gorgeous face on the same level as those she used to gush over about along with her friends back at signal. Ivory skin extended along his body free of imperfections or scars from what she was able to see. She wondered just where this stranger had even come from.</p>
<p>Yang had seen her fair share of handsome guys before, some more than others. Heck she had seen some guys she truly considered beautiful but this guy was something else.</p>
<p>His features resembled those of a girl with some male characteristics that complemented each other excellently leaving her heart beating like the first time she had rode a motorcycle.</p>
<p>Naruto observed silently, already having anticipated their reactions; he actually couldn't blame them, though that didn't mean he was not sill pissed off at his terrible behavior and personality. He crossed his arms and glared at him, deciding then and there that he was going to get payback in some way.</p>
<p>Ruby was the first to recover, her cheeks turning redder if that was even possible at having been beaten so quickly by a pretty face "S-sorry about that, I didn't mean to space out like that" she said waving a hand in a friendly gesture smiling friendly at the boy with the midnight hair. "My name is Ruby, it's nice to meet you" she said trying to regain some normalcy, her silver eyes observing as his dark orbs posed themselves on her, a pleasant chill running down her back.</p>
<p>He regarded her with curious eyes, not being bothered by her reaction towards his physical appearance. It had happened so many times in the past he was well used to it, so he didn't pay it much mind.</p>
<p>Instead her exotic set of silver eyes quickly consumed his attention.</p>
<p>He took a step forward passing by Naruto who observed him warily before taking her chin in his hand tilting it upwards a small fraction. "Silver eyes, huh. Interesting" he said disregarding the way her cheeks turned aflame once again as he carefully studied such unnatural eye color, origin of many stories and legends of remnant..</p>
<p>Ruby became still once more, swearing that such actions were not good for her health</p>
<p>He lowered his hand releasing her chin as he gave her a soft smile "I'm Sasuke" he finally said turning to the other girl catching her eye as he studied her shortly.</p>
<p>Their eyes met in a fiery way, her captivated by the intensity of such eyes and him impressed with the fire he saw lighting hers.</p>
<p>Without wasting time Yang took the shoulders of her adored sister before turning to the two boys "Well it was nice meeting you but we gotta go" she said turning back with her sister and walking in the opposite direction leaving a few last words for her blond counterpart "We'll see you tomorrow Naruto"</p>
<p>As she continued on her way, the boy's black pools appeared on her mind's eye flushing her face pink once again before she shook her head furiously, ridding herself of such thoughts.</p>
<p>Naruto and Sasuke observed the girls leaving with different reactions.</p>
<p>Naruto was annoyed that his time with his friends was cut short by such an unpleasant person.</p>
<p>Sasuke on the other hand observed them with interest; they were no doubt beautiful young women but his keen eye had detected much of their prowess as warriors and as such he couldn't help but hope to meet them again tomorrow in the initiation exam.</p>
<p>"Great job Casanova, you turned the two babes away" Naruto grumbled at the boy at his side, almost forgetting they had been about to clash right there in the ballroom.</p>
<p>"You're still here?" he asked dismissively knowing full well the reaction he was going to get, the corners of his lips tilting upwards, his obsidian eyes turning back to the whiskered boy.</p>
<p>"gghh…bastard!" Naruto grunted irritated beyond belief, no one had ever been able to set his fuse off so easily in his life. "Just you wait till I turn that pretty face into mush" he said his teeth grinding strongly in his mouth.</p>
<p>"You and what army loser" Sasuke replied his hands back in his pockets, amused at the blonde's threats</p>
<p>Naruto's smirk was victorious, his desire to beat the jerk down renewed. "Oh, you are about to see" he said with a feral grin adorning his features in excitement.</p>
<p>He was about to do something that would probably have gotten him disqualified if it hadn't been for the lights that went out with a statement from one of the guides to go to bed for the night.</p>
<p>Both teens acquiesced lying in the sleeping bags side by side, trying to gain some rest before the initiation test began.</p>
<p>As Naruto closed his eyes he thought about all the things that had happened that single day, and he couldn't help but think about how grateful he was to his master for giving him this opportunity.</p>
<p>Obsidian orbs closed slowly, the boy thinking that the time had finally come to see if this school was as good as it was made out to be.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Clash! Battle at The Emerald Forest</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was during the early hours in the morning when shaded azure eyes opened, dim light falling over the room through the large windows on the walls.</p><p>It couldn’t have been later than five in the morning, the majority of students still resting in their sleeping bags peacefully.</p><p>He yawned softly as he sat up clearing the sleepiness away. His hands rubbed his eyes slowly.</p><p>There was something strange about sleeping near that many people, the instincts that had been beaten into his body keeping him alert even though his mind remained in a state of rest.</p><p>At first he thought he wouldn’t be able to sleep calmly but fortunately that wasn’t the case.</p><p>Still, his sensitive ears picked up the slow breaths of the people around him, light snores merging with small grunts that came out from time to time.</p><p>His eyes diverted towards the space beside him, finding it strangely empty. When had that guy gotten up? His gaze roamed the room in concentration as he futilely searched for the unique individual he had met the previous night.</p><p>There was no trace of his presence anywhere in the ballroom. He stilled for a moment as he considered that information, his eyes narrowed in suspicion and apprehension.</p><p>His nose hadn’t been able to pick his scent and his ears hadn’t been able to detect his exit.</p><p>There were very few people who could escape his wild senses in such a manner; he was after all, trained to remain alert at all times and to be aware of all enemies on his surroundings. The fact that the indigo haired guy had managed to evade him like that was, for a lack of a better word…unnerving.</p><p>His eyes turned to the large window behind him, dull light not able to penetrate through the unconscious minds of the sleeping students.</p><p>It seemed to be a good time to get up and go about his morning.</p><p>The exam would begin in a few hours from then and yet, despite that his biological clock refused to adapt to his situation.</p><p>He half-smiled remembering the early mornings of his childhood, the ones he used to have with his master, a warm tea and a heavy warm up preparing them for a day of intense training.</p><p>He wondered how the man was faring right in that moment. Was he still traveling the world, doing jobs for the association? Did he keep wasting money on those mature establishments in the remote villages?</p><p>He had been a weird man ever since he had met him, yet his kindness and compassion remained ingrained in his memories and heart, encouraging him to be the best person he could be. It was the man who had saved him from despair, who gave him shelter from the cold and a way of life he could follow without regrets.</p><p>He stood up as silently as he could, rolling up the sleeping bag and taking his belongings with him, heading towards the exit of the room.</p><p>Near the doors, a guide graciously received the sleeping bag, indicating him the way to the changing rooms and showers.</p><p>He walked leisurely with his left hand at his side, his right holding his backpack on his shoulder. A faraway look remained in his eyes as he indulged in remembrance of a not long past, when a person most dear to him would smile candidly at him.</p><p>His feet carried him to a large room filled with storage lockers for the applicants to leave their belongings as preparation for the test.</p><p>It was desolated for the time being, no soul gracing its presence with the exception of the blond teen himself.</p><p>Taking out some clothes from his bag, he changed into lighter gear, not wanting to dirty his combat uniform before the assignment.</p><p>He stretched unhurriedly, getting the last remnants of stiffness out of his body before opening one of the locker boxes and putting inside his black backpack.</p><p>Interestingly, the locker mechanisms seemed to lack the modern technology that was common in most security based systems. He assumed it was because not everyone was going to be able to pass the exam so there was no necessity to grant all applicants their own personal security clearance.</p><p>He closed it calmly before assigning a numerical combination to the lock after memorizing it, marking its location in his mind for when he came to get his things back.</p><p>He turned left towards the door of the room, walking with determined steps. He had approximately three hours before he had to be back in the showers to get ready for the initiation exam.</p><p>With that much free time he readily made his way past the entrance of the main building where they had been staying, pausing as his feet left him in the threshold.</p><p>A grey sky greeted his cerulean colored eyes, the sun’s rays barely even glimpsing past the horizon line. The familiarity of the scene before his gaze brought a contented smile to his lips.</p><p>His eyes closed shortly as he drew breath through his nose, the smell of cut grass and spring breeze clinging closely to his senses.</p><p>He exhaled slowly, his eyes opening as he resumed his steps.</p><p>His gaze shifted from side to side looking for the most appropriate place to begin his daily routine, finding a small area not too far past the lake surrounding the castle, filled with trees and bushes that could be of use.</p><p>An excited smile took over his face as soon as he found himself in the green grass; it was the perfect place to train unbothered.</p><p>Wearing only a red sleeveless shirt and some black shorts he started doing his warm up exercises.</p><p>He trained methodically like he had been taught by his master, working all the appropriate muscles, following familiar movements repeated times.</p><p>No matter how many times he had followed that training through the years, the familiar heat in his muscles and his strenuous breathing brought a sense of comfort and familiarity that allowed his body to remain at ease and somehow gave him peace of mind.</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>-THELASTKINGDOMTHELASTKINGDOMTHELASTKINGDOMTHELASTKINGDOM-</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>Hours had passed as his body built up sweat, his clothes becoming damp with the evidence of his hard work</p><p>The sun had risen with bright vigor not too long after he had begun his exercises, bringing warmth and laying down light over the green grass that formed the ground where his training had taken place.</p><p>As his movements stopped, his training coming to an end for the day, his sky blue eyes admired the massive castle that housed the huntsmen in training. It was still hard to believe he had been allowed to come to the most prestigious combat school in the kingdom, renowned families and prodigious warriors having crossed the halls that had invaded his vision just the previous night.</p><p>He shook his head slowly; warm droplets of sweat sliding down his skin. He didn’t have time to be wasting around sightseeing, soon enough he would be able to explore, the initiation exam his only obstacle remaining.</p><p>He walked unhurriedly with simple steps, his breathing getting back to normal after a few minutes.</p><p>His feet carried him past the small bridge that crossed the lake and into the small plaza before the entrance of the academy. Some other individuals were now visible to his eyes.</p><p>Students around him carried on without paying him any mind, focused on their own busy schedules.</p><p>He smiled amusedly before taking the direction towards the ballroom.</p><p>The way became more secluded as he continued on, he assumed due to the congregation of new students in the aforementioned place.</p><p>He stopped in surprise when out of a corridor the form of the headmaster walked in.</p><p>The man’s brown eyes caught him calmly, a friendly smile gracing his lips.</p><p>“Professor Ozpin, good morning sir.” He said rather awkwardly not knowing how to properly refer to the man before him, his curious gaze on the weird academic.</p><p>“Ah, Mr. Uzumaki, good morning to you too.” the silver-haired man responded, a steaming cup of what he smelled was cocoa in his left hand.</p><p>Ozpin calmly stepped beside Naruto as they resumed their walking towards the place where the other applicants were getting ready.</p><p>“Working hard already I see.” said the professor, his hazel gaze on the damp clothes of the young man, his cane held safely in his right hand.</p><p>“Yeah” the boy responded, a small chuckle leaving his mouth “I just couldn’t stay still, ya know” he said, noting with interest that the man was dressed in a suit incredibly similar to the one he had worn yesterday.</p><p>The man hummed in thought before taking a sip from his cup and then addressing the young man at his side “I can only admire your dedication to your training; however wouldn’t you rather save your energy for the test?” Ozpin asked, a hint of curiosity lacing eyes as he studied his potential student.</p><p>Naruto grinned widely at the man beside him, getting more comfortable as their conversation continued “You don’t have to worry about that, I have enough energy to pass the test with flying colors and then some. It’ll be a piece of cake, you’ll see.”</p><p>The professor chuckled as he heard the boy speak, intrigue filling his mind the more he spent time with the hunter in training. “Well, being confident is good, but do try to keep in mind that overconfidence often leads to failure.”</p><p>The blonde’s eyes traveled to the man beside him, shining with interest at the discovery of the kind of person he was. It was not much, granted, but their short interaction spoke of the wisdom and gentleness the man possessed.</p><p>His words and posture held a certain intelligence that was difficult not to notice, and yet they were not rigid or overly serious like he assumed a professor’s would be.</p><p>And the way he talked, critically but with such a non-accusatory tone as if trying to guide him to find the right answer without thinking he had anything to do with it. It was manipulative, in a parental sort of way. It showed however slightly that his intentions for his students were nothing if not well intentioned.</p><p>Naruto smiled softly as he turned his eyes back to the path he was walking on “You’re right sir, I was only kidding. There’s no way to tell what is going to happen in there, but you can rest assured that I’ll do my best.”</p><p>The man hummed once again before taking another sip from his cup as they arrived at the changing rooms where the other students were getting ready. He addressed the young man with a friendly smile “This has been a most entertaining conversation Mr. Uzumaki; I wish you luck on your trials.” He said before resuming his stride.</p><p>“Thank you, Sir.” Said the blond watching as the professor kept getting farther away.</p><p>He turned to the door as voices came past and into his ears, before he opened it determinedly.</p><p>The same lockers he had seen a few hours ago greeted his eyes with the slight difference of a large amount of people roaming around them.</p><p>Unintelligible conversations mixing up and reaching his ears made him pause, his attention drawn to the other applicants.</p><p>His eyes scanned around the students looking for familiar navy locks or a purple hoodie, the guy’s absence that morning still clear in his mind. There were few people who would get up earlier than him, so he was rather surprised.</p><p>He also couldn’t seem to find Yang or Ruby which was strange because they were rather loud and weren’t the most inconspicuous of people.</p><p>When he wasn’t able to detect Blake either he felt somewhat disappointed, it seemed luck was not on his side that morning.</p><p>He walked determinedly to the locker where he had left his things, introducing the combination of numbers he had chosen and getting his belongings out.</p><p>He didn’t waste any more time in the room and went to the showers, where he washed away all the grime and sweat that had accumulated on his body.</p><p>Steam filled the room when he was done, the heat of the water having refreshed him immensely.</p><p>He dressed quickly, putting on his orange pants with black linings and a black short-sleeved shirt with a spiral symbol at the center front.</p><p>Black boots were slipped on his feet and he stood up holding his backpack.</p><p>He finally took out an orange jacket with identical style to his trousers and put it on, the material against his skin giving him a familiar comfort.</p><p>An excited grin formed on his mouth, the anticipation palpable in the air.</p><p>With a little time on his hands, he quickly went to get breakfast at the cafeteria, where he filled his stomach to his heart’s content.</p><p>It was no secret he had the appetite of a starved dog, so when some students had their eyes as wide as possible at the sight of his feast he didn’t even bat an eye.</p><p>When he was finally done, he left, leaving a few students with more than a few questions.</p><p>Getting back to the locker rooms was a simple task, when he was finally inside he opened his backpack taking out a strange black belt that contained two sheaths on separate sides.</p><p>Putting it slowly around his waist, he checked to make sure it held up for the strenuous movements he was sure to have to make in the next few hours.</p><p>His bright blue eyes eyed the other treasures in his bag before taking them out with much care.</p><p>Twin blades gleamed at him reflecting the lights on the room. He could still remember the day he had made them, his master behind his shoulder waiting patiently for his student to finish the task handed to him a week before.</p><p>It hadn’t been easy, and he had failed repeated times, having to learn the proper procedures and principles of blacksmithing and engineering.</p><p>Through sheer determination and hard work he managed to produce an incredible pair of swords.</p><p>Despite not having much wealth on him at the time, his master had provided him with high quality steel and materials to carry out his crafting.</p><p>Blue and green slid between one another as tanned hands held them in contemplation.</p><p>Virtually his whole life as a fighter had been spent alongside those two blades, his master likening them to parts of himself.</p><p>He couldn’t help the smile that came over his face nor the feeling of pride that burned in his chest as he stared at <em>Tempest </em>and <em>Whiteout.</em></p><p>For a fraction of a second, the fragment of a memory flashed across his mind. The silhouette of a young boy clashed against a raging inferno, his weak limbs unable to produce a single movement, lying helpless in the rubble and filth, dark shadows towering above him in the distance, and waiting miserably for his inevitable demise.</p><p>His hands gripped the weapons tightly as he took a deep breath, his chest expanding as the air filled his lungs, before releasing it slowly.</p><p>A small smirk made its way to his lips, confidence and resolution filling his muscles as his posture straightened and he skillfully spun his weapons around his hands before ultimately sheathing them on his belt.</p><p>Placing his fingers at the point where the cross-guards joined with the scabbards, he made sure to secure his blades, a mechanical sound signaling the attachment process.</p><p>He took one last look around before putting his backpack inside the same locker once again. He didn’t doubt from here on out, everyone would start to get serious.</p><p>On his way out his eyes recognized the yellow and black-red mops of hair pertaining to his newest friends, a rather silly conversation unfolding based on the image of a little girl embracing the deadly weapon in her hands.</p><p>He marched his way to them, calm steps taking him closer to his companions.</p><p>“-Today I get to let my sweetheart do the talking.” he heard the scythe user say as she rubbed the weapon in an almost creepy manner.</p><p>He stood just out of their visual range, waiting for the right time to join in. In the meantime he watched as the sisters continued on with their conversation.</p><p>“Well remember Ruby, you’re not the only one going through initiation.” The older girl said, doubt and worry marring her face “if you wanna grow up, you’re gonna have to meet some people and learn to work together” she continued, her hands on her hips and a concerned look directed at the other teen.</p><p>He had to side with Yang on that one, as nice as Ruby was as a person, she did have a problem with communication. He knew her social hardships were not due to lack of self-confidence or anything of the sort, so he assumed she just needed some experience.</p><p>“Ugh, you sound like dad.” the dark haired girl grumbled, making a face at her older sister “Okay, first of all, what does meeting people have to do with fighting? Secondly I don’t need people to help me grow up, I drink milk” she said looking entirely too proud of herself.</p><p>He had to choke a laugh at the expression, if there was a term to describe the girl it’d be somewhere between adorable and hilarious.</p><p>He decided to make his presence known then, his blue eyes much too amused at the conversation “While drinking milk is healthy and all, your sister is right on this one Ruby, meeting new people is part of growing up.” He said smiling as the sisters turned to him in surprise.</p><p>“Naruto!” Ruby exclaimed happily, taking a step closer to him “good morning” she greeted elatedly before pouting at his words “and It’s not like I need to grow up to fight” she mumbled looking away from him in annoyance.</p><p>The boy chuckled at her actions before posing his eyes on the older teen “Hey Yang.” He said cordially</p><p>“Morning Whiskers.” She responded, a friendly smile decorating her attractive features “didn’t see you back in the ballroom, what time did you get up?” she asked, a teasing tone slipping through, her arms crossed bellow her chest.</p><p>Ruby’s eyes lit up when the words reached her ears and she turned to the male hunter in training “that’s right, we didn’t see you when we got up, though I can’t really be surprised cause yang often oversleeps a lot”</p><p>The violet eyed girl turned to her in indignation “Hey!” she said, clearly surprised that her little naïve sister Ruby would betray their sisterly code in such a manner.</p><p>The little girl offered only an ‘innocent’ smile in return.</p><p>The boy couldn’t help but chuckle at their little banter, he wondered if all siblings acted like that.</p><p>“I got up early to warm up before the test” he said gathering their attention back to him, a serene smile playing in his lips, his eyes going to the little teen “but never mind that, what’s all this about growing up?” he asked curious about the root of the discussion.</p><p>“Little Ruby here thinks all she needs to become a good huntress is that pretty scythe of hers” the amethyst-eyed teen said, her motherly gaze on the pouting girl. “She forgets that sooner or later we will be assigned to combat teams.” she continued, glancing at the male teen before resting her eyes one more on the petite woman “What will you do then little sister?” </p><p>The scythe user turned her face away, her cheeks burning in embarrassment. “I’ll just be on your team” she mumbled, apparently ashamed of having to burden her older sister.</p><p>“Ah that’s right” the boy said, his blue eyes in deep thought “I had forgotten about that” he continued crossing his arms behind his head contemplation written on his features “I wonder who’s going to be on my team”</p><p>“That’s it!” exclaimed Ruby, making her sister raise an elegant eyebrow at her behavior and surprising the blue-eyed boy in the process.</p><p>She lifted her finger and pointed at the orange clad boy with an excited expression “I’ll just be on Naruto’s team.” She said as if it solved all of mankind’s problems, a brilliant smile adorning her lips.</p><p>Her sister could only respond with a look of uncertainty, doubtful that the girl with the red hood would not encounter any social obstacles in her way just because she teamed up with the good natured-looking boy.</p><p>Naruto instead released a full chuckle, the small teen’s antics something that he definitely appreciated “Sure, I’m all for it Ruby.” he said with a friendly grin adorning his features.</p><p>Without missing a beat, he lifted his right hand and gave his younger companion a thumbs up, wanting to keep seeing the girl smiling like that. “As long as I get to be the leader of course.” he added teasingly.</p><p>The tall blond woman gazed at the animated teens, an exasperated smile gracing her delicate lips. It seemed that her little sister wasn’t completely doomed after all.</p><p>Her eyes then turned to the clock on the wall above the door, widening in surprise as she registered the time displayed on it</p><p>It was ten to nine, and the majority of the other applicants had already abandoned the room, if they didn’t hurry they would probably be left behind by their group.</p><p>Yang quickly turned to the other two and grabbed her little sisters hand “Come on guys, it’s getting pretty late and the guide is probably going to leave us here.” she said interrupting the conversation they were having and leading them to look at the time as well.</p><p><em>“Crap, I almost forgot. Nice save, Yang”</em> thought the whiskered boy as he followed the sisters to the entrance of the room.</p><p>Ruby was mortified, she wouldn’t have known what to do if the guide actually abandoned them, it would have been way too embarrassing.</p><p>The trio made their way towards the group that had assembled at the plaza outside the castle, a single guide standing in front of the whole group waiting for the remaining applicants.</p><p>He cleared his throat before addressing the hunters in training “Good morning everyone, I hope you are well rested for your practical exam today, you can call me Otto. I’ll be your guide for the day.” He said amicably, brown eyes roaming over all the new faces he was seeing.</p><p>Black tresses were arranged in dreads falling backwards into his upper back, dark skin covered defined muscles proving he wasn’t just an amateur fighter. He dressed the school’s uniform consisting of black pants, a white shirt and a tie; his sleeves pushed backwards revealing strong forearms.</p><p>His expression told Naruto he was a friendly guy, but he could notice the training put into his body by the way his body moved; he was elated to meet an upperclassman. This gave him way more insight into the school’s effectiveness as a combat learning facility.</p><p>He grinned pleasantly, the stories his master told him seeming to be less and less farfetched by the minute.</p><p>Otto appraised the new batch of students under his limited guidance, many seemed somewhat nervous but the excitement was palpable in the air. He offered them another friendly smile before addressing them once again “Right now professors Ozpin and Glynda are waiting for you at the selected place for this assignment, my job is simply to escort you there.” He said</p><p>A few muttered conversations reached his ears before he turned his back to them and took some gloves out of a pouch on his back hip.</p><p>“If anyone wants to quit, now’s the time” the dark-skinned man continued not turning to say the words, his big hands sliding inside the gloves, his tone friendly yet somewhat more serious. “they won’t be allowing any cold feet at the top of the cliff” he waited for any applicant who decided to leave, yet none did, a small smile formed on his lips as he thought of the good quality of people they had gotten that year.</p><p>Naruto observed from the corner of his eye as a male figure with blond tresses flinched at the sudden words from the guide. He could have sworn he had seen that guy somewhere, but nothing other than his bright hair seemed to stand out much. His trained eyes noticed the poor physique and untrained posture he held, definitely nothing more than an average fighter.</p><p>Losing interest rather quickly he turned back to the guide at the front.</p><p>A complete contrast to the man he had been studying before, with a tall stature and outstanding physique that spoke of the experience and knowledge he had amassed as an alumnus in beacon.</p><p>“No takers?” asked Otto, giving them a last chance. He was awarded with no response, all candidates determined to pass the trial ahead of them in order to achieve their ambitions.</p><p>A smirk rose on his lips before he stood straight and addressed them without turning to them “Very well then, follow me”</p><p>With that he began his march around the massive castle, his feet carrying him down a path leading towards the forest.</p><p>The whole group followed him closely, approaching the area with thick trees and foliage all around them.</p><p>As the distance between them and the castle increased the students broke into various conversations and idle chats.</p><p>Naruto could vaguely hear Ruby’s and Yang’s voices as they spoke about their home, the details of the conversation missing his ears due his lack of concentration.</p><p>His eyes had finally found Blake, the attractive teen he had had the pleasure of meeting the day before.</p><p>As he walked leisurely along with the others, his gaze remained entranced with the graceful way the mature young woman moved, his thoughts filled with indecision about whether to approach her or not.</p><p>It presented an uncannily similar image to the previous day’s orientation.</p><p>Slight breeze pushed his golden hairs backwards as he contemplated his options.</p><p>Despite wanting nothing more than to walk up to her and start a conversation, now was not the right time. They were close to site zero and both him and her needed to be with their mind on the prize.</p><p>He had been warned by his master not to take the test lightly, and he knew not to doubt his words on such matters, so he abstained from calling out to her.</p><p>He took a second to study the group of people around him; it was significantly smaller than the one from the previous night.</p><p>It seemed that they had divided them into small cells of thirty-two students each; his mind grew curious as to what kind of test they would be given.</p><p>As his eyes roamed through the specific members, familiar faces resonated within his mind, the feral warrior, the silent observer, the scarlet gladiator, hell even the green dragon and his over excited companion were present in the motley crew.</p><p>He was glad; there would be no point to the test if he wasn’t challenged by strong competitors.</p><p>His gaze finally settled on the man who had eluded him since that morning, his purple hoodie and loose clothes still concealing any relevant information regarding his fighting qualifications.</p><p>He had his hands in his pockets as he walked somewhat apart from the rest of the group, but not far enough to attract the attention of the other students. He might as well just have been another body to fill the count.</p><p>His eyes narrowed softly when alarms started ringing in his brain once again, his muscles tensed and the hairs on his body straightened, frustration growing as he failed to identify the root of his strange reactions.</p><p>His instincts had saved him one too many times out in the wilderness against the creatures of the grim. He had become very adept at identifying danger and responding accordingly, growing stronger and surviving against things that most students and even some professional hunters had yet to encounter.</p><p>It was for that reason he couldn’t just dismiss the response his body had to that individual.</p><p>His mind became steel as he regained control of his body, it ultimately didn’t matter what strange factor caused his strange behavior; he would just have to be ready for everything.</p><p>His trained gaze focused in the black rectangular box the purple hooded individual carried in his back hip. It measured around fifty centimeters in length and ten in width.</p><p>It was a strange concept for a weapon, but he still kept his guard up, not intending for even a second to underestimate his opponent.</p><p>He briefly went through quick simulations in his head, trying to anticipate his way of fighting with several kinds of weapons that could be derived from that box, before ultimately giving up due to how little information he possessed at the moment.</p><p>The group moved unhurriedly as the forest grew denser and the light grew dimmer as it clashed against the leafs on the tall trees.</p><p>It wasn’t long before the woods ended and their path became clear and uphill, the solid rock beneath their feet creating a steady ground to walk through.</p><p>Fortunately for Otto, it seemed the applicants were in decent physical condition, enough to walk the distance without breaking a sweat.</p><p>As soon as his feet reached the top of the cliff the whiskered blonde’s eyes found the two people in charge of the exercise.</p><p>Professor Ozpin and Miss Glynda stared at them with different reactions playing across their faces.</p><p>For his part the male teacher seemed to contemplate their arrival with a serene smile, whereas the woman gazed at them with neutrality. Now that he thought about it, Naruto thought the blond teacher seemed much too similar to how he initially thought a professor would be, strict, professional, if a little bland.</p><p>Their guide advanced until he was face to face with the middle aged man, a respectful grin playing on his lips.</p><p>“Good morning professor.” he said lifting his hand for the man to shake.</p><p>“Good morning to you too, Mr. Magnus.” the ashen haired man replied, his kind eyes poised on the student he had selected to lead that particular group. A polite smile appeared in his features as his gaze gathered the expressions and reactions of the applicants, feeling glad that so many had endured so far.</p><p>Ozpin took the hand offered before shaking it amicably, his eyes returning to the man before him “I trust everything is running smoothly, yes?” he asked, the faintest hint of mischief lacing his words.</p><p>“The new batch of rookies safe and sound, just as promised.” Otto answered, amusement turning his lips into a smile. His eyes briefly turned to his back, taking in once more the candidates for the spot at the school. His thoughts turned curious, pondering what students would make the cut.</p><p>“That’s good then” the professor said, laughing softly as he left his hand back into his cane. “You may join us and watch while I give the instructions for the assignment if you’d like.” he offered as the other man rubbed the nape of his neck undecided.</p><p>“I’d like to, but I promised my team we’d work on our VM&amp;R homework before sparring class today” Otto practically groaned, dejected that he was unable to enjoy the show.</p><p>“Another time, then” Ozpin said, giving him a friendly smile before taking a place before the crowd of students, his intelligent gaze appraising the individuals before him.</p><p>“Yeah, good luck professor” the dark-skinned man said, marching back the way he came from in simple steps, playful smile marring his lips. His brown eyes turned to the students who still had yet to stop their soft chattering “Everyone do your best, I’ll see you in the coronation” he finally said lifting his right hand in a wave before he walked away, leaving the majority of students confused.</p><p>Naruto couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow at the strange terminology. It was clear they had yet to reveal what it meant since there hadn’t been any announcement when they arrived the day before, so he couldn’t help but think it was reserved for the students who actually passed the exam.</p><p>“Coronation?” a voice to his left said, his eyes identifying the little red riding hood.</p><p>Her big silver eyes turned to him in confusion “What do you think it means?” she said, curiosity written on her young face.</p><p>He returned his blue orbs back to the man in front of them before replying softly to her “I don’t know” he said evenly, interested in what other secrets the man had in store for them “But I’m sure they’ll tell us eventually” he resumed, turning to her with a big smile, getting the same response from her.</p><p>Ozpin cleared his throat, getting everyone to postpone their conversations and put their attention on him.</p><p>“For years you have trained to become warriors, and today your abilities will be evaluated in the emerald forest” he said, his right hand still holding a hot cup of cocoa. Interestingly his voice also adopted the same tone he had used the day prior, intriguing Naruto for his particular manner of speaking.</p><p>“Now, I’m sure many of you have heard rumors about the assignment of teams” the attractive female teacher took over, her strict gaze keeping everyone focused and obedient. “Well, allow us to put an end to your confusion.” She continued, holding a scroll in her left arm, her jade eyes directed at the crowd “Each of you will be given teammates, today.”</p><p>Their reaction was instantaneous, murmurs and whispers flew around the group of teens as they processed the words of their professor. Faces filled with relief, worry, excitement, and a mixture of several other emotions composed the small crowd.</p><p>He vaguely heard Ruby’s worried “What, Oh” before professor Ozpin took the stage once again.</p><p>“These teammates will be with you for the rest of your time here at beacon” he said seriously, trying to emphasize the importance of that point. “So it is in your best interest to be paired with someone with whom you can work well” he resumed, and for a minuscule moment Naruto and Ruby shared an elated glance, before Ozpin crashed it with merciless words.</p><p>“That being said, the first person you make eye contact with after landing will be your partner for the next four years” he said, his smile widening in a playful manner.</p><p>“What!?” exclaimed Ruby with renewed anxiety, the little fairy tale she had concocted in her head where she was able to thrash grim without having to make a fool out of herself talking to strangers vanishing in an instant.</p><p>For his part, Naruto couldn’t help but feel a little sad for ruby, yet he found that strange system to be somewhat interesting.</p><p>So they would seemingly be paired at random, which at the very least meant that they would be graded by pairs if nothing else, based on the professor’s previous words.</p><p>Which meant that there were now sixteen groups competing for a spot at beacon, now all that was left were the criteria for a passing grade.</p><p>“After you’ve partnered up, make your way to the northern end of the forest.” The professor said, completely ignoring the complaints or observations of the students “You will encounter opposition along the way, do not hesitate to destroy everything in your path, or you will die”</p><p>The words resonated among the students, determined faces appearing as shining weapons were drawn of fastened in preparation, mechanized sounds unraveling the lethal companions of the huntsmen in training.</p><p>“You will be monitored and graded for the duration of your initiation, but our instructors will not intervene.” he said glancing at Glynda at his side, before turning back to them. “You will find an abandoned temple at the end of the path containing several relics, each pair must choose one and return to the top of the cliff” he explained, keeping his words as clear as possible.</p><p>The whiskered blond nodded in understanding, it sounded simple enough, the major obstacle seemingly being the lack of proper teamwork. He brushed it off however, his trust in his individual skills outclassing any worries he may have about that.</p><p>“We will guard that item as well as your standing and grade you properly” Ozpin said, finishing his explanation “Are there any questions?”</p><p>“Ah, yeah, sir” a voice to his very left came weakly, nervousness dripping in spades.</p><p>He identified him as the blond he had examined earlier, it really seemed he was not up to par with the rest of them, he briefly wondered why the kid hadn’t quit before, when given the chance.</p><p>“Good” Ozpin continued, ignoring the boy’s attempt “Take your positions” he said, being rewarded with the hunters in training bracing for launching.</p><p>Naruto erased all thoughts aside from the goal at hand, fight the grim off, get the relic and come back, easy as pie. He grinned in excitement, it was finally time to let loose.</p><p>One by one, students around him were sent flying with astounding speed, high and far in the air by steel platforms beneath their feet.</p><p>He saw Blake’s form vanishing into the clouds and beyond, followed by the Schnee heir, and the red-haired warrior.</p><p>He turned to his left as Yang was launched in the same direction, confidence and excitement radiating from her in waves.</p><p>He gave Ruby a military salute before she too was sent airborne.</p><p>The clear sky clashed against the shadows of the students who flew in the air like a murder of crows, the rays of the sun partially covered by the clouds casing a colorful picture.</p><p>He took a deep breath and separated his feet, his weight put on his center of gravity.</p><p>He briefly glanced at the professor standing in a few meters in front of him, catching his eyes filled with concealed interest, before suddenly being sent into the air after his peers.</p><p>His vision was then overloaded with the assault of the forest changing at unimaginable speed, a blur of greens and browns permeating his visual senses.</p><p>His hair was pushed backwards from the air’s resistance, clashing against his body midflight.</p><p>It felt exhilarating, his heart pumping strongly, and adrenaline coursing through his arteries, in that familiar way that reminded him he could never be anything but a hunter.</p><p>For a moment he lost himself in the feeling, his eyes closing in rumination.</p><p>His body flew like a projectile fired from a cannon, getting closer and closer to the site of impact by the second.</p><p>His eyes opened confidently, quietly observing the terrain in which he would land, the woods still blurring due to the speed he carried.</p><p>A feral grin rose on his lips and he lowered himself even more, reaching the branches of the tall trees.</p><p>With unbelievable skill he stepped on one branch, using it to impulse himself even farther and augmenting the velocity in which he was traveling. As his feet touched another branch, he repeated the process yet again, his form alternating between branches to approach the ground in a horizontal manner rather than by sheer gravity.</p><p>A pitch black form entered his field of vision, yet he did not stop, his movements performed as if he had done them a thousand times.</p><p>His right hand grabbed the hilt of <em>Tempest</em> before drawing it with blinding speed, the black figure being severed in half before his feet collided into another black mass in a thunderous shock that blew away nearby plants and indented the ground in which it stood, sending it crashing against a few trees and completely decimating the semi-peaceful environment that had previously been in place and finally stopping his descent.</p><p>His blue eyes turned to the creature he had bisected, black smoke being released as it eroded.</p><p>Red eyes stared emptily at the orange clad teen, a groan dying in its mouth as its inevitable death came to be.</p><p>A beowolf, judging by its musculature and long jaws, was slowly disintegrating before his eyes.</p><p>His gaze still in the creature, he drew <em>Whiteout</em> with his left hand before stabbing backwards into the skull of another beowolf that had tried to attack him from behind.</p><p>“Come on, is that it?” he said cockily as he spun his blades in his hands before sheathing them once again “And here I thought you would pose more of a challenge” he smirked before turning once more to make way towards the temple.</p><p>Several growls came from the darkness of the deep forest, concealed creatures watching him as they prepared to attack.</p><p>His hands remained on the hilts as he stood silently with an assertive gaze, his pulse increasing as his senses flared.</p><p>A loud roar boomed out of the bushes from his left as a monstrous creature leaped towards him in a savage bloodlust, its claws ready to tear apart his skin and muscles.</p><p>“Now that’s more like it” He said with an ecstatic smile, his gaze locking into the incoming target.</p><p>He reacted rapidly, with the practiced ease of a warrior trained day and night in evasion and maneuverability, taking a step back and letting the sharp claws miss his face, before drawing <em>Tempest</em> with deadly intent before cleaving through the creature in half in an upward slash.</p><p>His eyes narrowed as his grin widened, noticing a shadow obscured by the corpse before him approaching with a sharp claw directed towards his chest in animalistic speed.</p><p>His left hand drew <em>Whiteout</em> before severing the arm attached to the claw in a diagonal motion and finishing the beast with a horizontal slash from his right decapitating it instantly.</p><p>Without missing a beat, several more beowolves charged out of the foliage around him, attacking simultaneously from several directions with the efficiency of a pack of predators.</p><p>He whirled skillfully, parring a claw with his left arm before chopping the creature’s leg with the jade colored weapon and then impaling it in the jaw with his blue sword.</p><p>From then a deadly dance took place, the Grimm attacking with reckless abandon, as they tried to tear the boy apart with their teeth and claws.</p><p>He dismembered another arm before severing the beast in half and then taking the head of another before proceeding chop the next into pieces.</p><p>He moved with great coordination and balance, his muscles contracting with humongous strength as the rain of steel descended upon the savage monsters.</p><p>Once, twice, thrice his blades cut through the bodies of his enemies as his body ran through the motions he had developed from immense training.</p><p>His form resembled a sentinel with no wasted movement as the blades kept moving with seasoned accuracy.</p><p>He finally stopped when no more creatures advanced from the shadows, the dismembered corpses lying at his feet as black smoke erupted from their wounds.</p><p>His blades were held firmly in his hands as he inspected the carnage that had taken place.</p><p>Several dozen monsters quickly disintegrated from fatal wounds to vital areas, his blue eyes calmly observing his handiwork.</p><p>Releasing the breath he was holding, he let his muscles relax, turning in the other direction to continue his assignment.</p><p>He took a few steps before stopping abruptly, his eyes widening in shock before whirling towards the darkness once more, his blades crossed before him in a defensive stance.</p><p>“Show yourself!” he exclaimed, his eyes narrowing as they observed the tiniest movement from the plants around him.</p><p>His senses fully registered a disturbance in the area he was in, not a sound nor a smell, just a presence lurking nearby, watching.</p><p>He chastised himself for only noticing at the moment, too focused on the enemy that had been in front of him to pay attention to other threats.</p><p>Still, alarms rang in his head due to the unusual circumstances, the wilderness of the forest was his element, where he was most comfortable, and that turn of events irritated him beyond belief.</p><p>“I’m surprised you managed to spot me” a velvety voice came from behind him, his body turning in blistering speed taking his swords once more in a defensive stance.</p><p>“You…” he said with suspicion, his cerulean eyes shining in acknowledgement as they stared at the figure leaning on a tree a few meters ahead of him.</p><p>His purple hoodie a dead giveaway to his identity, his arms crossed on his chest as his black orbs observed in curiosity, his posture as relaxed as it had been the day before, nonthreatening, yet the blond didn’t for a second lower his guard.</p><p>“How’s it going?” The navy haired teen said half-mockingly, his head tilting to the side as an amused smile adorned his lips.</p><p>“Where the hell did you come from? Have you been following me or something?” the whiskered blond said ignoring his teasing attempt, his blue eyes staring him down in apprehension, his blades lowering only slightly since the one in front of him was not an outright enemy.</p><p>“You did say you were going to ‘beat me to a bloody pulp’, was it? Well now’s your chance” the other boy answered letting his hands into his pockets. His eyes moved to the remaining corpses that were quickly disappearing. “And it seems you weren’t lying the other night, I’m impressed. You aren’t a complete loser after all” the raven said, an amused smirk plastered on his features.</p><p>Naruto’s eyes narrowed before a grin formed on his lips, the message perfectly understandable “So you actually want to fight me, and here I thought you were going to keep running away for a little longer judging by the way you have been avoiding me since the morning” he said, his arms lowering altogether and his posture straightening as he locked eyes with the other boy.</p><p>The obsidian eyed teen raised a fine eyebrow in confusion before the meaning of the blonde’s words dawned on him. His eyes closed as he snorted in amusement before directing them once more to the orange clad huntsman in training. “Avoiding you? Hardly, I simply dislike large crowds” he said, taking a step forward away from the tree.</p><p>He had to hold back his instinct to take some distance away from the man, the now familiar alarms ringing on in his mind.</p><p>“This place however” the raven signaled at the space around them, his amused smile never leaving his face “Does not really have that problem, now does it?” he said letting his serene gaze fall onto him.</p><p>The whiskered teen pushed away the mental warnings in favor of grinning at the other boy and taking a stance once more, his blades ready and waiting “Are you going to talk all day or what? You wanna fight? Bring it on!” he exclaimed excited, wanting to let loose for a while longer. His eyes focused on his opponent as his senses heightened to superhuman levels. Every sound, every smell, and the tactile senses in his skin amplified enormously, allowing him to fight at full capacity.</p><p>The indigo haired teen observed in interest, his keen eyes immediately detecting the change in his opponent, he was fairly impressed. His gaze caught the sharp eyes and twitching ears, the minuscule spasms in his legs and slight widening of his nostrils. A smirk once more formed on his lips, so far this academy had not disappointed.</p><p>He took a step forward and let his arms fall to his sides from his pockets before his eyes narrowed in focus and his smirk widened in excitement.</p><p>Time slowed down immensely as the blonde’s eyes widened in disbelief, his superb reflexes lifting the blades he held in his hands into a defensive position as the aura in his left cheek was practically hacked away in an instant.</p><p><em>“You’ve got to be kidding me!” </em>he thought in alarm as he whirled around parrying a barrage of slashes, straining his muscles trying to keep up.</p><p>In the blink of an eye the navy haired teen had closed the distance between them and bypassed his guard with a quick slash that he had barely been able to avoid, the sheer speed of his opponent frightening in every sense of the word.</p><p>As his left parried a stab that had been going to his left shoulder he had to move his right to stop a thrust to his jugular, the speed of each attack not leaving him any time to counter.</p><p>Steel clashed against steel in a shower of sparks and rasps as Naruto was slowly pushed back.</p><p>His mind strained to comprehend the events transpiring before him, it was the first time he had fought against such a fast opponent besides his master. His breath hitched in his throat as another slash scraped away a little more aura from his neck.</p><p>He immediately leaped backwards increasing their distance by several meters, his breath labored in surprise </p><p>His opponent stood leisurely far away from him, his eyes holding what almost seemed like boredom as they stared at him, a combat knife held tightly in his right hand. His previous smirk was gone like the wind.</p><p>The lessons that his master had beat into him started taking effect as his labored breath ceased and his rapid heartbeat slowed down. His eyes narrowed in concentration, trying to analyze every bit of information he had acquired.</p><p>The raven’s stance was atrocious, it was completely full of openings to exploit and despite the breathtaking speed with which he moved his form was rather sloppy and had a lot of wasted movements. Nonetheless, his way of holding the knife and his accuracy were nothing short of perfect.</p><p><em>“Moreover</em>” he thought gritting his teeth; he had finally discovered the reason his alarms went off when he was near him. His steps carried absolutely no sound.</p><p>It was simply unreal, but his animal senses couldn’t detect any sound coming from his movements, even as his feet moved in such unbelievable speed his ears didn’t register any.</p><p>He was a walking contradiction, how was it possible to excel in that minuscule specific field of combat yet be nothing more than average at the general level?</p><p>He raised his blades into another defensive stance, holding his right in front of him diagonally in a normal grip and his left close to his chest.</p><p>His senses heightened even further as he readied himself for the next clash.</p><p>Blue met black as silence reigned for a few blissful moments, the tension skyrocketing to massive levels.</p><p>Their hair swayed with the breezing wind as a leaf descended in the middle of the battlefield. Neither twitched keeping their attention on their foe.</p><p>Not a fraction of a second after the leaf had touched the ground, the navy-haired teen blurred with renewed vigor, his deadly knife aimed at the center of the blonde’s abdomen.</p><p>Naruto’s blades moved with rigorous defense not caught by surprise any longer, perfectly parrying the strike to his stomach with <em>Whiteout</em>, and following with a counter to the neck with<em>Tempest.</em></p><p>His eyes widened when instead of parrying like he thought the raven would do, he ducked beneath the slash and pushed aside <em>whiteout </em>with his knife before striking his face with his bare hand.</p><p><em>“With his fist?”</em> he thought in surprise as he was sent crashing against a tall tree, shattering it on impact.</p><p>He maneuvered in the air, landing safely on his feet recovering quickly. His wide eyes posed on the purple hooded hunter in training.</p><p>His right blade rose once more as his opponent flickered before him, deflecting a diagonal slash before he thrusted his left aiming at the right side of his torso</p><p>Taking his knife into a reverse grip, the obsidian eyed teen deflected the jab to his right and raised it ready to stab his opponent in a downward motion.</p><p>Surprising his foe, Naruto let his blades fall from his hands as he turned his back to him and caught his arm mid stab before pulling his weight forward and throwing him with herculean strength, sending his body towards the branches above.</p><p>The raven maneuvered in the air before landing softly and noiselessly in a wooden branch, his surprised gaze still focused on the whiskered teen.</p><p>As he observed the blond collect his weapons into his hands, the purple hooded teen allowed himself to examine what he had learned of the other hunter in training.</p><p>His defense was masterful, even against his overwhelming speed he had managed to parry most of his attacks, moreover his reflexes and specific senses went way beyond average, he had the mark of a true veteran written all over him.</p><p>Not only that but with a single glance he had been able to determine the monstrous endurance the blond possessed, it completely blew away his expectations.</p><p>The sheer training the teen must have undergone more than he could even comprehend. He wondered what kind of lunatic he had to be to throw himself towards training like a madman, his perfectly balanced muscles proving the lengths he had been willing to go through.</p><p>Without meaning to a smirk rose to his lips once more, it had been a while since he had met someone so interesting.</p><p>Naruto observed the other teen calmly before lifting an eyebrow in confusion when he noticed the smirk directed at him, for a moment he had thought the dark haired teen had been bored in their exchange. He theorized that perhaps he put that façade to rile up his enemies and force them to commit mistakes, as well as not letting them anticipate his movements.</p><p>He jumped high in the air landing on the same branch as the raven, standing less than two meters ahead of him.</p><p>They locked eyes once more as the blond lowered in a stance, ready to continue their battle. </p><p>From then on the real fight would begin.</p><p>The blond could feel his blood pumping strongly as his breath hitched in anticipation, this had been the most fun he had had since a long while.</p><p>“You know, you aren’t half bad either” he said, making his opponent smirk in amusement.</p><p>“This is just the warm up” replied the navy haired teen, his deep velvety voice full of confidence.</p><p>Naruto’s eyes widened when <em>Whiteout </em>parried his foe’s knife coming at breakneck speed, the strength behind the thrust so great he was sent skidding backwards crashing against the tree opposite to the branch.</p><p>He lost no time propelling from the tree to another branch, convinced that his opponent would follow.</p><p>He was proven right when he turned to a knife ready to impale his chest. He deflected the strike with <em>Tempest </em>before following with a diagonal slash from <em>Whiteout, </em>halting when his arm was kicked away.</p><p>They engaged in a flurry of slashes and thrusts, trying to gain the upper hand, neither able to maneuver around the other due to the particular terrain they were standing in.</p><p>Under those conditions Naruto had the advantage, without his ability to attack from critical angles and to evade at the vital moments, the strength of his foe had been reduced significantly.</p><p>His plan to level the playing field proving to be a success, he charged taking his enemy by surprise and hitting the wrist in which he held the knife with his own, his right sword posed to strike in a vicious thrust.</p><p>To his complete surprise the raven used him to propel himself in a somersault, avoiding the strike and slashing straight through the branch they were standing in.</p><p>The blond quickly jumped from the branch to another but was shocked when that one too fell off as a flying knife cut through it with deadly accuracy.</p><p>His plan revealed and crumbled Naruto let himself fall, landing harmlessly with practiced ease, holding his weapons in an offensive stance intending on changing his strategy.</p><p>His gaze focused on the teen that landed noiselessly a few meters away, his single knife gleaming as it reflected the light of the sun. </p><p>His best bet was to drag out the fight, let him tire himself out from moving at such unnatural speeds and outlast him with tenacious endurance.</p><p>There were two points where Naruto was sure he surpassed his opponent in a monumental way, the first being the amount of training under his belt.</p><p>Ever since he was a small boy he had spent countless hours honing his skills, repeating the same stances and forms over and over again until his arms felt like they were about to fall off and his heart felt like it was about to blow out of his chest. Day and night, during the rain and the snow he continued undeterred, conditioning his body to follow the moves taught by his master to perfection, trying them a hundred times, a thousand times, until it was as easy as breathing. He never complained and he never stopped. His body ultimately turned into the pinnacle of human effort.</p><p>The second and equally as important was experience. His sapphire eyes had witnessed countless battles, filled with intricate fighting styles and brilliant strategies that armed him with knowledge valuable beyond belief. In terms of experience he was simply second to none; he was not going to be modest about it.</p><p>As he stared at the man before him, his mind focused on using those particular advantages to defeat his opponent.</p><p>Still, he couldn’t help but be in awe at the combat prowess his enemy demonstrated.</p><p>Thanks to all his years of training he could catch with a single glance most of the attributes a fighter possessed, their potential, their development, even to a certain extent he could even guess the specific type of training they had undergone.</p><p>it was for that reason he knew for a fact that the raven had never been formally trained, neither in hand to hand combat nor in armed combat.</p><p>The fact that he could keep up and even pressure Naruto was ridiculous in and of itself. More than reflexes the Navy haired guy had an unbelievable battle sense, and his talent was simply peerless.</p><p>He was a diamond in the rough, if he just polished his skills a little more, he would undoubtedly become a scary fighter.</p><p>He smirked in exhilaration, the stronger his opponent the more entertaining the fights were going to be.</p><p>He took the initiative this time, charging with his right sword slashing diagonally with great tenacity before pivoting in counter-clockwise fashion and following with a reverse slash, <em>Whiteout </em>approaching his target rapidly after his initial strike had been blocked.</p><p>The obsidian eyed teen ducked beneath the attack before he back flipped several times avoiding a kick to the face and taking some distance from the blond. As his opponent became even more focused and his movements became even more coordinated, his smirk refused to go down.</p><p>The raven’s form blurred and Naruto lifted his blades prepared, his body ready to counter.</p><p>His eyes widened in shock when a flying knife closed in on his face with incredible speed.</p><p>With pure reflexes he deflected the blade with a powerful swing of his sword, dread filling his mind when his eyes registered the agile body of his opponent in a crouch before him.</p><p>His eyes lost focus and his breath abandoned his lungs when thunderous strikes connected with his exposed abdomen, two perfectly and almost simultaneously placed left jabs too fast to discern sending his body crashing against a row of trees with dangerous speed. </p><p>He had little time to recover as his opponent flashed behind him following his landing, his deadly knife aimed at his jugular.</p><p>He whirled around, his arms moving with unyielding might, deflecting and parrying thrusts and slashes with great strain.</p><p>The obsidian eyed teen’s movements had changed dramatically, abandoning the clean slashes of his blade in favor of using it as a distraction to leave him open for a heavy blow with his naked fists.</p><p>His breath hitched as <em>Whiteout</em> was once again pushed aside and he was forced to block a powerful kick with <em>Tempest</em>, the strength behind it sending him skidding backwards.</p><p>Had he seen through his strategy? Choosing to quickly end the fight instead of letting it drag on?</p><p>If that was the case, it spelled danger for him. He was going to have to resort to more drastic measures, his eyes falling on his prized weapons.</p><p>With no time to ponder, he raised his left blade stopping the stab that had been aimed at his armpit, blue sparks flying from the friction as the metals collided.</p><p>Another steel shower descended upon him as the raven wielded his combat knife with extreme speed, slashes and jabs targeting vital spots in his body.</p><p>His blades moved in kind, responding just as ferociously not letting a single attack through his defense.</p><p>His tanned muscles contracted powerfully, <em>Whiteout </em>and <em>Tempest </em>following the movements of the opposing blade, there was no way he was going to let himself get beaten so easily, a heaving smirk adorning his features.</p><p>Cerulean eyes observed in concentration the movements of his opponent, the time was approaching to release a full counter attack, yet he needed to be sure it was going to connect before he even attempted it. Blue and green swords advanced meticulously through the incoming offense, relentlessly attempting to create the perfect opening.</p><p>Sweat glided down his forehead from the strain as he acknowledged gleefully the strength of his foe.</p><p>The sounds of steel colliding with steel consumed the entire part of the forest as the battle raged on, several trees fallen down and wandering leaves circling around the two warriors spectating the duel between the highly skilled huntsmen.</p><p>A cobalt blue sword swiftly pushed the incoming silver knife to his right with formidable strength, sapphire eyes narrowing in resolution.The opening had finally revealed itself.</p><p>Taking a step forward and pivoting to his right, he stood almost shoulder to shoulder with the indigo haired hunter whose pitch black eyes observed his actions with surprise.</p><p>With a shout he swung <em>Whiteout </em>with monstrous strength in a perfect feint aimed directly at his opponent’s neck, entirely sure that the raven would repel that strike leaving him wide open.</p><p>Once again he was proven right when the indigo haired teen leaned backwards recovering his balance in an impressive display of agility and turned his knife into a reverse grip before he slashed upwards pushing <em>Whiteout </em>away from the strike zone.</p><p>By then there was nothing the raven could do, <em>Tempest</em> came with vicious abandon beneath his arm, leaving no space to either duck or deflect with his knife; this was undoubtedly Naruto’s win.</p><p>As his emerald blade approached his opponent vigorously, the sharp edges began to glow in a shining green light. His thumb turned the switch to unleash the ultimate ability crafted within the sword.</p><p>Obsidian eyes gleaming green from the light observed, widening in disbelief as the mighty weapon neared his body, ready to execute a fatal blow on him.</p><p>It was simply unbelievable; he had inadvertently allowed himself to be outsmarted by another fighter. It seemed he still had a lot to learn.</p><p>As <em>Tempest</em> came infinitely close to the raven, time came to a stop; a ferocious wind current the likes of which could only come from dust energy was released in a titanic shockwave that followed the slashing motion of the blade. With terrible force, the inconceivably high pressure pushed the adjacent air devastating everything in its path. </p><p>The trees that had been standing opposite to the blond were shredded beyond recognition, the ground beneath breaking apart as it was quite literally sent in a shower of debris</p><p>Naruto had to cover his eyes with his left arm, the powerful current pushing him back and making his hair sway wildly.</p><p>For a few moments only the high pitched sound of the gale was heard, dust lifting and invading his vision consequence of his attack.</p><p>For at least five hundred meters nothing but ruin remained, the power of his blade too great to withstand.</p><p>He panted in exertion, the previous exchange having pushed him to his limit. Sweat now freely ran down his forehead, his body trying to rid itself of excess heat.</p><p>He laughed softly, his hands clenching his swords firmly, “Bastard” he said his clear blue eyes focused on the shadowy figure obscured by the curtain of dust.</p><p>The indigo haired teen came out slowly, his feet advancing silently on the desolated ground. He looked to be worse for wear but didn’t seem to have any significant injury.</p><p>He sported an annoyed look as his jet black eyes settled on him, his purple hoodie held on tightly his left hand completely torn apart.</p><p>“You owe me a new hoodie you know?” the raven said, making casual conversation as if he hadn’t been blasted away by a gigantic whirlwind.</p><p>Naruto simply laughed the ridiculousness of it all. He couldn’t believe how good that guy was.</p><p>Before the blade had even managed to touch him, the indigo haired teen had plunged his knife downward in an incredible display of speed, surpassing even the blonde’s expectations.</p><p>Holding the knife perpendicular to the jade colored sword, he withstood the wave, cutting the air in half and avoiding any injury to his body. Nevertheless, he was still sent barreling in the air from the sheer force of the attack.</p><p>“Seriously dude, who the heck even are you?” he asked, his stance straight holding his swords on his sides. There was no way the other teen was just another regular student, his level was way too high to belong to the same group of people he had encountered the day before, with a few exceptions of course.</p><p>The obsidian eyed boy observed his opponent calmly, his midnight blue hair swaying with the lingering breeze.</p><p>Despite coming out of that surprise attack almost entirely unscathed, he felt completely annoyed for two different reasons. His jacket had been turned to shreds and he had been a hair’s length away from being absolutely defeated.</p><p>The blond huntsman before him had turned out to be a way better fighter than he had previously anticipated. In fact he was sure he had never fought anyone quite like him, his skills and mastery over the twin blades completely rendering his vicious assault harmless.</p><p>“My name is Sasuke Uchiha” he said advancing steadily in calm steps, his knife twirling on his right hand before it vanished like magic. Coal black eyes stared at his peer, his annoyance forgotten in favor of amusement when he stood face to face with the blond teen; it had been an entertaining exchange after all. “I’m also curious about you, Naruto was it? Just where did you learn to fight like that?” he asked, his keen eyes scrutinizing the whiskered teen.</p><p>Naruto took a second to inspect Sasuke as he was finally completely revealed; he wore a sleeveless grey shirt covering his torso and blue arm guards protecting his wrists, ivory skin bordering strong muscles.</p><p>Trained eyes were finally able to gather information on the raven’s background as a fighter.</p><p>His well-developed muscles revealed his participation in numerous fights, the rest of his body further proving that no formal training had been undergone.</p><p>Just as he had suspected, the most likely scenario was that the teen was one of those street fighters. People who had never acquired an education in the art of fighting yet assembled into several groups around the darkest parts of the big cities with the sole intention of combating against one another.</p><p>And yet, it sounded almost insulting to call the raven such a simple term, as if it was somewhat degrading.</p><p>“You damn bet, it’s Naruto Uzumaki, you might wanna remember that. As for my training, my master taught me everything I know about fighting.”The blond said, a confident grin growing on his lips.</p><p>“I see” the navy haired teen said, an amused smirk adorning his features “Well, Naruto Uzumaki, tell me, can you keep dancing for a while longer?” he asked half-mockingly, his hands falling into his pockets.</p><p>“Do you even have to ask?” Naruto replied, his blades lifting into an offensive stance.</p><p>The teens locked eyes in preparation for a third and final clash, excitement still running through their veins.</p><p>Powerful growls surrounded the hunters in training as they turned to find countless monstrous creatures approaching from all sides, pitch black bodies and bone-white masks protecting their heads.</p><p>They wasted no time and turned to stand back to back facing the incoming beasts.</p><p>“Looks like the battle’s going to have to be postponed for the time being” the raven teen said, a trace of disappointment dripping from his words.</p><p>“Not to worry, I’ll kick your ass as soon as we are done with these overgrown pups” the blond said, a wide grin directed at the wave of Beowolves, his blades spinning in preparation,</p><p>“I must have hit you way harder than I thought if you are still delusional enough to think you can beat me.” Sasuke replied, a smirk playing across his lips as a combat knife materialized in his hand from the flicker of his wrist.</p><p>As they stared at the empty red eyes of the Grimm, there were no more words left to say, as of that very moment, Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha had become partners.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Four Knights Game</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>There was something rather fascinating about witnessing adolescent kids dismembering and mutilating soulless creatures with no objective other than complete annihilation, or at least, that was professor Ozpin’s thinking as he monitored the progress of his applicants in his small viewing device.</p>
<p>Perhaps it was their enthusiasm, it was no secret that young people tended to be apathetic to things they found to be uninteresting, therefore it would be surprising to encounter such sentiment in newly acquired pupils.</p>
<p>Or maybe it was the skill and proficiency they displayed with their weapons despite being so young, Oum knew they needed as much as they could obtain to become fine huntsmen.</p>
<p>Naturally, there was also the possibility that it was the blatant barbarity and savagery with which they handled the bodies of their enemies, behaviors that were absolutely required to qualify as a huntsman, but that were still unnerving to find on children.</p>
<p>He couldn’t be sure, it could have been all three or none at all. What he was indeed sure of, however, was that for the majority of trainees they were looking to be very promising.</p>
<p>As his eyes zeroed in on the screen of the scroll held in his right hand, he marveled at the swordsmanship displayed by a blazing red-haired girl.</p>
<p>It had been around half an hour since the beginning of the exam and the beautiful female warrior had already met and joined up with her partner, a blond-haired teenage boy with an insecure heart and with…questionable skills. </p>
<p>Her kind nature had led her to save him from his unpreparedness in the wilderness of the forest and together they ventured into the Grimm infested jungle. In the end, everything had turned out alright, fortunately.</p>
<p>The young woman, despite already possessing a might beyond her peers, appeared to have no desire for a grandiose placement within the ranks, nor did she seem discontent with her now then partner. Ozpin’s wise eyes noticed with no small amount of interest and admiration the humility, patience, and grace lacing all facets of her behavior.</p>
<p>Phyrra Nikos, the fabled invincible woman, truly did seem like an inspiring individual. </p>
<p>An amalgam of golden and red, resembling scorching flames dancing in the brisk wind, broke him out of his thoughts as it was brandished in the form of a sword with the skill of a master and the grace of an artist, deadly edge mortally dividing the bodies of ferocious beasts one after another without a hint of hesitation, all the while emerald eyes observed her foes with unyielding focus.</p>
<p>Her movements were elegant and impeccable as she traversed the battlefield with exceptional ease, casting a figure of ethereal beauty and blinding finesse that far outshone that of any average trainee.</p>
<p>It was a sight to behold, even for an experienced huntsman such as him. He could tell the insurmountable effort the girl had put into honing her skill, the passion she held for her craft practically exuding through every pore of her body as her blade moved with significant purpose.</p>
<p>He applauded the performance with a silent smile as his eyes turned to the awed student behind her, the youth’s vibrant blue eyes watching fascinated at the young gladiator’s skill with the sword.</p>
<p>His name was Jaune Arc, a boy that was the complete opposite of his remarkable red-haired partner; clumsy, inexperienced, and with a head a little too big for his own good. Despite what many believed, Ozpin had known from the beginning about the boy forging the documents he had used to register into beacon.</p>
<p>He could clearly see the boy’s lack of ability, and could even understand the desire of his most esteemed colleague Miss Goodwitch to remove him from the program altogether.</p>
<p>Yet, as he looked at the boy on his screen, his oak eyes absorbing the image of the youth’s form frozen in awed admiration, he could clearly see a heart desperate to grow and become stronger, those bright sky eyes yearning, wishing to lift his hand and reach her into the place where he too could fight the darkness, where he too could be a hero. It was a gaze full of kindness, compassion and determination that was not so easily found.</p>
<p>His soul of an educator did not allow him to turn the boy down, for he knew, even the smallest and the weakest of cubs could rise to become the strongest of lions.</p>
<p>And so, with a gentle smile and a silent pray of encouragement, he remained at the top of the distant hill, his hazel eyes reflecting the hope he had on the kids.</p>
<p>“i can’t believe he hadn’t unlocked his aura until now” expressed a frustrated blond woman, as she observed the same video on an identical screen held in her arms “No matter what the records say, Jaune Arc has not demonstrated the necessary qualifications to become a huntsman in this academy” she finished with a small huff, it had certainly been a while since she had witnessed such a puzzling case, already holding strong suspicions of foul play.</p>
<p>“Now now, the students have been given strict requirements to pass this exam, why don’t we let the results speak for them, hm?” He said, turning to her with a serene smile playing across his lips.    </p>
<p>“But sir!” She exclaimed displeased, her olive gaze turning to the man who held her highest regard. It was not only unusual, but it clearly went against the established regulations of the school to allow unqualified students an entrance. It was at times such as those that she struggled to comprehend the mind of her superior, or rather, to accept his well-meaning but soft hearted responses to very serious matters. Reluctantly, she closed her eyes and sighed in resignation, whatever complaints she may’ve had abandoned before the kind and weary eyes resting on her form.</p>
<p>Her delicate lips drew into a straight line, compliant and trusting on the judgement of the headmaster. “Yes, sir” she muttered, her gentle voice appeasing the older man.</p>
<p>He smiled candidly at her, somehow knowing she would indulge him in his less than conspicuous methods as long as it caused no harm.</p>
<p>Their gaze turned back to the scrolls when Ozpin swiped into another window presenting a video of one of the youngest recruits they had received that year, fighting alongside the heir of the Schnee company.</p>
<p>While their less than ideal teamwork and the fracture in communication affected greatly their performance, they still managed to clear the area of the aggressive monsters.</p>
<p>It seemed the altercation they had had the day before had inhibited a friendly relationship between the two girls from developing. He ventured to guess the major part of the conflict was based on misunderstandings rather than real disdain towards each other.</p>
<p>As bad as the situation looked on the surface however, the elderly man had no worries whatsoever. He had profound knowledge on both Ruby and Weiss, and as he observed them meticulously, his eyes had no trouble discerning through their heated emotions revealing caring and earnest characters.</p>
<p>He swiped the screen window once more, intending on observing the next pair of applicants.</p>
<p>These two kids in particular were specially unique in what fighting was concerned.</p>
<p>The tip of a red bright spear struck through the clavicle of a growling Beowolf before piercing the head of a second one right behind it. The carnage created by the merciless weapon added to a pile of bodies scattered around the tropical jungle, where a shout of acclamation echoed through the tall trees and heavy bushes.</p>
<p>A strong, tan hand caught the traveling lance after it had completely devastated its targets. Pitch black blood splattered all across the arm holding it in a sinister fashion before it started steaming away slowly.</p>
<p>The figure of a tall boy revealed a well defined and built physique, several scars adorning defined muscles and a brown leather vest covering burly shoulders that left his strong chest exposed. Black cargo pants shielded his lower body, ending in a pair of brown leather boots stained with grime and remnants of destroyed foliage.</p>
<p>He turned when he heard approaching steps, his hazel colored eyes gleaming in acknowledgement when they identified his partner walking calmly in his direction. A friendly grin adorned his rugged features, sharp canines glistening against the light around them.</p>
<p>“So, how did I do?” He said when the other man finally reached him, his eyes focused on the shaded glasses as they inspected his ‘work’.</p>
<p>The other boy observed the eroding carcasses of the soulless monsters with eerie calm, his eyes hidden behind dark shades assessing critically the performance of his partner. His face, covered by the high collar of his jacket, gave nothing away.</p>
<p>Black smoke littered around them as the fallen Grimm slowly vanished to oblivion.</p>
<p>The remaining corpses detailed a very gruesome fight, mutilated limbs and separated torsos dispersed among the small battleground. Several heads lay scattered, lifeless red eyes staring at nothingness.</p>
<p>“Three minutes, forty-five seconds.” He concluded “you improved your time by fifteen seconds, the amount of clean hits also went up by roughly thirty percent.”</p>
<p>His head turned to his companion once more, his neutral gaze scanning for any wounds or scratches. Despite the natural confidence he possessed in the tall boy he was thorough to the core. When he found none he returned his gaze to the now clear forest, all evidence of the carnage that had taken place was gone like the wind.</p>
<p>“The test was a success, Kiba” the shaded boy said, his voice deep yet soft.</p>
<p>The now named teen raised his left hand, rubbing the base of his nose with his index finger in an overly confident manner. “of course it was” he said, his grin widening the slightest bit.</p>
<p>His gaze then turned to the spear he was holding on his right hand, spinning it rapidly around his hand in a show of expertise before he held it in both hands in front of him, his eyes appreciative of the weapon in his possession. “Sis did an incredible job with this. man, as if her ego needed another boost” he complained jokingly as he shook his head, his rich brown hair swaying from the movement.</p>
<p>“She did surpass her previous works” the other teen agreed lifting his right hand to straighten his shades. “i’m sure she would appreciate a word of praise” he continued as he marched past his companion in direction to their true objective.</p>
<p>“Arghh, Shino, you know how she is, if I do say anything to her she’s never gonna shut up about it” Kiba grumbled as he followed him.</p>
<p>Shino turned to him briefly without stopping before returning his gaze up front “you say that, but it never stops you from making her know how good her weapons are, why?, because you’re not in fact bothered by her elation.” He said with the smallest inkling of amusement in his voice</p>
<p>The other teen spluttered indignantly at the uttered words “Just whose side are you on anyway Shino?” He said catching up to him</p>
<p>He was surprised when the boy in shades lifted his right arm before the sleeve fell backwards revealing an intricate bracelet that shifted into a large pincer, a small cannon right on top of his wrist.</p>
<p>Without warning a shot was fired from the weapon straight ahead, the taller boy turning to inspect the reason for such action.</p>
<p>A large beowolf, slightly bigger than average, withered in pain. Its screech of agony echoing loudly throughout the forest.</p>
<p>Its face melted grotesquely as the shot that was fired spread an unknown substance all over its maw.</p>
<p>Two more shots reached its eyes and snout where the previous shot had impacted before it fell to the ground convulsing from the pain, its throat no longer able to produce any sound.</p>
<p>A second passed, and the beast was no more. Its form dissolving into black, traveling through the wind.</p>
<p>“Man, that stuff packs some serious punch” remarked the wild teen, his face placed in contemplation.</p>
<p>Instead of answering, Shino proceeded walking forward, his intent clear on reaching the temple.</p>
<p>Kiba grinned contentedly before matching pace with his partner, “I told you it was a good idea to come here.” He said looking rather amused “Even you seem pretty excited, Shino”</p>
<p>The boy in shades did not grumble nor did he snort, but his neutral gaze turning to the spearman told him exactly how ridiculous that statement sounded to him.</p>
<p>Shino’s gaze returned to the path ahead deep inside the forest before addressing his companion “I must admit it certainly wasn’t one of your worst ideas” the memory of their previous misadventures flashing through their minds.</p>
<p>The painted boy couldn’t help but release a small chuckle in remembrance, he did use to come up with some very crazy things to pass the time when they were younger.</p>
<p>But Beacon Academy simply did not qualify as such. According to his mother, the Huntsman academy of vale was undeniably the best when it came to education and training facilities. The fact that upon graduation he would be given access to restricted information and clearance to unexplored environments, convinced him it would definitely allow him to fulfill his personal ambitions.</p>
<p>His chestnut colored eyes turned to Shino in curiosity once his mind wandered to more current events “What do you think the other applicants are like ?” His hands crossing beneath his chest in contemplation.</p>
<p>The teen in shades kept silent for a few moments, his steps soft against the grass as he reflected on the occurrences of the previous day, and all the information he had gathered on his competition. “The vast majority of candidates presented no extraordinary traits, their level of operation and performance quite lower than yours, processing and awareness too a few levels below, unsurprisingly.” He relayed monotonously, his brain flashing through the stances, postures, weapons, eye movements, and aura levels of the other applicants.</p>
<p>Kiba nodded in understanding, confident in the observational skills of his partner.</p>
<p>Shino continued undeterred, his thoughts drifting to the more interesting of participants “There are, however, some very peculiar individuals”</p>
<p>Brown eyes turned to his partner with curiosity “You mean that girl with the golden armor” he stated, intrigued.</p>
<p>The other teen nodded calmly “The invincible woman: Pyrrha Nikos” his gaze directed forward “In fighting ability and combat prowess she outclasses even you. Her physical parameters were above my initial estimation, but her greatest strength lies in her ability to adapt and react to her surroundings accordingly. Her battle sense is probably close to that of a veteran huntsman ” he said seriously.</p>
<p>Kiba’s eyebrows narrowed in thought, wondering how strong that woman actually was. The rumors and stories of her prowess as a warrior were abundant, reaching even their small village on the outskirts of Vale, if Shino said the woman had him beat he had no reason to doubt him.</p>
<p>Still, to meet someone even stronger than him would be rather entertaining.</p>
<p>“There is also the heiress of the Schnee Company, Weiss Schnee. Her aura levels are substantially higher than I had anticipated, and she seems well versed with the rapier, fitting for a member of that family” Shino lifted his middle finger, pushing the bridge of his glasses as he continued his assessment “The group she was mingling with the past day; a couple of unknowns and a Faunus girl, all have an aura level far greater than the average huntsman in training. Their physical abilities, while not at the level of the Invincible girl’s, are quite high as well. I have little doubt they will be our principal competitors in this exam.”</p>
<p>Kiba nodded once again, recalling to memory the images of the individuals his partner was telling him about.</p>
<p>“And Lastly” Shino paused unexpectedly, his eyebrows furrowing slightly in contemplation “There was that Faunus guy, the fox”</p>
<p>The other boy hummed interested, his mind traveling through the faces of the remaining participants “The Blond one?”</p>
<p>The teen in shades nodded, his features regaining their impassive facade. “He’s Strong”  he stated with no doubt present in his voice “But his combat parameters are even more substantial. He carries himself like a seasoned warrior, much like Nikos in approximation. He is mindful of the exits and critical locations of every potential battlefield he encounters and prepares contingencies in case he has to engage in a fight. His preferred weapons of choice are a pair of excellently crafted short swords that are loaded with great amounts of dust and judging by the state of the metal he is quite adept at using them. And yet all of that is swiftly eclipsed away by his aura. It is greater than any other among our peer group by a ridiculous amount.”</p>
<p>It was something Shino had not expected, it even dwarfed the invincible girl’s already impressive aura.</p>
<p>“What?!” Exclaimed kiba, his eyes wide and shock lacing his voice at the revealed information</p>
<p>“Yes, I don’t know how that is possible either, but his aura is even greater than Lady Tsume's” Shino continued with a grim expression, his mind trying to understand such an unforeseeable fact.</p>
<p>Kiba’s face paled as he froze in utter disbelief, his hazel eyes staring at his conflicted teammate perplexed. His mother had been a seasoned huntress for many years, passing through countless trials and tribulations as she built up her reputation and strength. Her aura was extremely strong and immensely big, easily making his look like a candle in comparison to a furnace. For someone in their age group to have not only a comparable, but an even greater aura had to be nothing short of a monster.</p>
<p>“S-stop joking around Shino” he said chuckling nervously “That cannot possibly be true”.</p>
<p>The teen in shades turned to him silently before resuming his slow walk “i’m not joking. That Faunus is in a league of his own when it comes to the size of his aura”</p>
<p>Kiba followed along after him, regaining his composure as he contemplated the information he had just received.</p>
<p>He had noticed the boy with whiskers in the auditorium the previous day as they waited for the headmaster, it was rather difficult not to. With his blond hair, built body and extravagant ears, he was sure everyone had to have taken notice of his presence. At the time, his instincts had told him to be wary of another predator roaming around, but he never would have expected such a secret to be hidden beneath that sunny exterior.</p>
<p>Did that mean the blond boy was stronger than the invincible girl?</p>
<p>As if hearing his thoughts, Shino stated neutrally “Aside from that unsettling information, nothing indicates his superiority over Phyrra Nikos. Though I can’t say for certain, it is very likely she is still the stronger of the two.”</p>
<p>Kiba furrowed his brows in confusion, Shino could usually tell the approximated strength of even hardened veterans, if he said that the fox Faunus was not likely stronger than Nikos it meant the gap wasn’t that big. If that was true however, how could he have such difference in aura? It seemed the mysterious challenger was shrouded in secrets.</p>
<p>“it will be best to stay away from those two individuals for the remaining of this exam” Shino said clinically, his mind prioritizing their mission success over any other sub-objective.</p>
<p>Kiba grumbled in displeasure, but didn’t argue about it. His teammate was usually right on what course of action to take, and he was still somewhat shaken about the most recent news.</p>
<p>Their forms moved forward through the forest in silent reflexion, it would be best to be prepared for the unexpected.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>-<strong><em>THELASTKINGDOMTHELASTKINGDOMTHELASTKINGDOMTHELASTKINGDOM-</em></strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Achoo” he sneezed forcefully, the reaction coming abruptly as he stood over a dozen corpses sprawling lifelessly on the forest floor. His blond hair moved softly against the slight breeze as the remnants of his most recent battle revealed another absolute victory.</p>
<p>“Crap, someone must be talking about me” he said, holding his nose in his left hand as his brows furrowed in slight irritation.</p>
<p>“I admire your optimism” replied a voice behind him monotonously, sarcasm tainting its words the slightest bit. He turned to see the pale raven a few meters away playing with his knife and twirling it around in his right hand, his left resting placidly in his pant pocket.</p>
<p>They had easily dealt with the large wave of monsters that had advanced on them murderously, their combined fighting ability managing to turn their sturdy bodies into piles of black ash.</p>
<p>Despite their massive numbers, the Grimm they had fought minutes before lacked strength and agility proper of the foes Naruto was used to. It meant they had been young and therefore rather unentertaining to engage with in battle. Nonetheless, it had been somewhat useful.</p>
<p>It had certainly served to indulge his interest in studying his competition.</p>
<p>He had cemented his opinion on his raven-haired teammate as he observed the other confront the red-eyed beasts. As he had previously gathered, his technique and movements were excessively underdeveloped, certainly belonging to those of an amateur fighter.</p>
<p>Despite that, his sheer physical strength and unnatural speed turned him into a deadly fighter capable of unbelievable damage, not to mention his outrageous natural talent that allowed him to grow exponentially as a warrior. He could tell every time Sasuke fought, he adapted extremely quickly.</p>
<p>His knowledge on the Grimm was extremely limited, and consequently he was unaware of their greatest weaknesses, leading him to waste more time and put more effort into eliminating a single Beowulf than Naruto did. Yet, as soon as he encountered any resistance, he adjusted his tactics and attacked from another angle or targeted another spot.</p>
<p>It was impressive. It had taken Naruto a significantly large amount of training before he was able to seamlessly traverse through maneuvers as naturally as the raven did.</p>
<p>With some more instruction, he was sure the obsidian eyed boy would become a substantially valuable partner.</p>
<p>Still, his personality left a lot to be desired “Shut up, you jerk” he grumbled, unsheathing his blades from his belt before taking a step forward. “Now that that’s over with, let’s continue where we left off, shall we?” He said, smiling confidently as he prepared to resume their duel.</p>
<p>To his surprise the raven did not outwardly react, his obsidian eyes observing him impassively before his spinning knife vanished into thin air. “As much as I’d like to continue pummeling you into the ground, it is getting rather late. It would be in our best interest to continue on towards the temple” he said looking past the blond’s shoulder and marching ahead.</p>
<p>Naruto’s eyebrow twitched at the insult, but followed along nonetheless, he had to acknowledge the truth in his companion’s words. They had wasted a considerable amount of time facing off against one another. It was indeed possible that other participants had already collected the majority of the relics.</p>
<p>He gulped thinking about what would happen if they where gone by the time they arrived. His master would undoubtedly be very disappointed.</p>
<p>Sasuke walked calmly on the forest ground a few meters ahead of his partner with his hands resting safely in his pockets, his mind wandering through the battle they had just conquered.</p>
<p>It had been the first time he had ever faced the creatures of Grimm, his battle experience being limited to facing beings with beating hearts. He had been somewhat surprised at their relentless assault despite their numerous injuries, their disregard for their own safety something he was not used to.</p>
<p>Nevertheless, the particular variant of monsters they faced turned out to be rather disappointing in his perspective. Fighting Naruto had been significantly more difficult and entertaining. He was not naive enough to believe every single Grimm they faced was going to be as feeble, yet he had honestly expected better.</p>
<p>Amidst the battle, his eyes had found themselves following the orange-clad huntsman in training with laser focus, his interest in studying his partner’s fighting style greater than the pressure put forth by the hulking beasts. He clinically recorded every movement, evasion, maneuver and tactic the blond had displayed in his brain, the sheer mastery in combat he exhibited something he had never had the opportunity to see before.</p>
<p>Naruto was able to fight without completely relying on his eyesight when facing opponents in several directions, his strong arms moving the lethal blades in his possession to parry attacks with little movement from his head before turning and cleaving through his enemy with deadly precision.</p>
<p>His attacks were always aimed at the most vulnerable spots of the creatures he faced, allowing him to severely cripple or outright eliminate them with a single swing. </p>
<p>He was not particularly fast, but his skill with the dual blades and his unnatural instincts gave him a tremendous edge against the ghastly beasts.</p>
<p>In summary, he was a fighter forged through countless battles and conditioned with herculean training to accomplish the single purpose of erasing those monsters any time he encountered them.</p>
<p>The sky-eyed warrior was, sincerely speaking, the best fighter he had faced yet. All others before him not even worth mentioning. The corner of his mouth lifted in an amused smirk, it had been most educative.</p>
<p>In the end, the charging creatures had been easily dispatched with a merciless stab through the eye or a slash through the neck, the stronger ones easily evaded with swift steps and dodges.   </p>
<p>He turned his gaze when he heard his whiskered partner hum with something akin to curiosity. Naruto’s questioning cerulean eyes were centered on his feet as they walked, a hand holding his chin in inquiry.</p>
<p>His eyebrows twitched in annoyance as the blond continued his inspection silently, seemingly unwilling to simply state his question.</p>
<p>“What?” He asked drily, his obsidian eyes observing his partner blankly.</p>
<p>“Hm?” Naruto replied, glancing back at the raven’s black orbs.</p>
<p>“What are you looking at, moron?!” The raven asked, his voice holding slight irritation for having to elaborate.</p>
<p>The blond brushed off the insult easily and turned his eyes forward, his chin still resting on his enclosed hand. “I was wondering how you managed to walk without making a sound actually, it’s really creepy” he said casually, making his partner gaze at him seriously.</p>
<p>He hadn’t expected Naruto to be so perceptive, people usually weren’t able to tell. His silent step most notably allowed him to suppress his presence and mask his actions into appearing mundane, the fact that he could tell such minute detail meant he was impressively aware. He wondered if his partner’s heightened senses were the cause for his discovery.</p>
<p>He briefly thought about lying to the blond on the real reason behind his ability, but he assumed he wouldn’t believe him anyway, so he answered with blunt honesty “I come from a family of assassins”</p>
<p>The response he got was anything but expected.</p>
<p>“No way, really?!! That’s so cool!!” The whiskered boy replied turning to him with fascinated eyes, earning a look of absolute surprise from the usually stoic raven.</p>
<p>“You believe me??” He inquired perplexed, wondering what kind of idiot accepted a reason as implausible as that so quickly.</p>
<p>“Are you lying?” Naruto asked casually, his arms folding beneath his chest further baffling his companion.</p>
<p>“I am not” he answered sternly, his mind furiously trying to understand the blond’s thought process. </p>
<p>“Then I believe you” the blond replied smiling widely, turning his gaze forward again. “Man, I’ve never met an assassin before. Is it true that they can walk on water? Or on ceilings?” He continued asking excitedly, his arms moving behind his head leisurely.</p>
<p>The raven stopped in his tracks observing his partner as if he had grown a second head. Was he stupid? He simply could not comprehend what was transpiring at the moment.</p>
<p>“You believe me, and you aren’t the least bit upset?” He asked with narrowed eyes, convinced that the blond was pretending to be that simpleminded.</p>
<p>Naruto stopped his stride and turned to face him with furrowed eyes “Why would I be upset?” He asked confusedly, his relaxed posture immutable.</p>
<p>“Oh, I don’t know, how about the fact that my family kills people for a living for starters” Sasuke replied rolling his eyes in baffled exasperation, sarcasm coating his voice like a second layer. ”that seems like something people would be upset over”</p>
<p>Naruto lifted an eyebrow in thought, observing calmly how worked up his companion had become “Well, have you ever killed anyone?”</p>
<p>Sasuke looked at him seriously. He was unable to understand the strange way in which the blond’s mind worked. “I have not” he answered honestly, not knowing what to expect from the other boy.</p>
<p>The whiskered teen then had the gall to face him as if he was the one being stupid. “Then what’s there to be upset about?”   </p>
<p>The raven-haired teen could only stare in a mixture of confusion and surprise, his previous belief that his family history would create conflict with the more morally righteous huntsmen dissolving into worthless litter. His hand lifted to cover his face as he sighed in exasperation and resignation, there was no point in trying to associate normal human behavior with the man before him. It was simply a losing battle.</p>
<p>His mind resolved, he resumed his stride past his partner and towards the temple to complete the mission as soon as possible.</p>
<p>Naruto gave him a curious glance before he stepped beside him as they continued on their way “So can you walk on water?” He asked in wonder, his previous inquiries about the abilities of the assassins resurfacing.</p>
<p>The raven’s brow twitched in annoyance before he replied without turning “No, I cannot walk on water” he said drily, lamenting he wasn’t paired with that Ren guy. He seemed quiet enough.</p>
<p>“And that silent movement thing, is that an assassination technique?” Naruto asked, his tone shifting into a more serious one. That ability hadn’t left his mind since the morning when the raven sneaked out of the ballroom without alerting his senses. It was as frightening as it was undoubtedly useful for their particular profession.</p>
<p>Sasuke glanced back at him briefly before turning forward again “It is. It’s also the only technique I managed to learn from my family” he said, his velvety voice feeling suddenly empty.</p>
<p>The blonde turned to him confused, wondering the possible meaning of such a vague statement. Ultimately he decided not to ask, the raven didn’t seem to be in the mood to keep talking about that.</p>
<p>As he thought about what other subject he could bring up to start an amicable conversation with his partner, they reached a massive earth formation.</p>
<p>It’s width was extended way beyond their sights hinting at the long travel they would have to endure to go around it, and the large hole ahead signaled the entrance to a cave underneath the gargantuan structure.</p>
<p>“Are you sure this is the way?” Naruto asked curious as he scratched his head in confusion. He did not remember seeing it from the clouds when he had been launched.</p>
<p>“Of course it’s the way, it is in the direction opposite from where the hill is. Just as Ozpin said where the temple was located.” Replied the raven as he inspected the tall walls. “come one, we should go around it fast. We’ve wasted too much time already.” He continued as he turned to his right before taking a step forward.</p>
<p>“Hold on a sec. we have a perfectly good shortcut right there” said the blond boy as he stopped his partner and pointed at the large entrance of the cavern, a grin etching its way into his factions.</p>
<p>“How are you so sure there’s an exit on the other side?” The raven asked turning to him, a brow raising in doubt.</p>
<p>“Trust me on this” Naruto said crossing his arms behind his head as he walked closer to the threshold being followed by his companion. “Besides, what is the worst thing that could happen?” He continued as their forms melded with the darkness of the cave.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <strong>
    <em>THELASTKINGDOMTHELASTKINGDOMTHELASTKINGDOMTHELASTKINGDOM</em>
  </strong>
</p>
<p>
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  </strong>
</p>
<p>They were gliding, tree branches snapping as their feet made contact with the bark beneath them in an attempt to increase their pace. Wind crashed against their forms as the forest morphed with their rapid advance.</p>
<p>They had ultimately elected to ascend to the trees for a full speed journey to their destination, skipping any other possible confrontation.</p>
<p>Hazel eyes observed calmly as a glade closed in ahead, the forest dying out as they cleared the distance.</p>
<p>They landed softly in the dry grass, the morning sun illuminating their surroundings in golden warmth. It was mostly silent and deserted as they calmly studied the grounds around them.</p>
<p>It seemed they had been the first to arrive.</p>
<p>A stone monument lay ahead, ancient carvings decorating well-assembled columns that organized to form a circle enclosing several small-sized pillars that contained multiple gleaming objects at the smooth tops.</p>
<p>“That must be the Temple and the relics Professor Ozpin was talking about.” Kiba said glancing left and right as they remained a fair distance away from their objective “You think there are any traps around?” He asked turning to his partner who stood impassive at his side.</p>
<p>Shino kept silent for a few seconds as he studied the condition of the temple, visible cracks and plant protrusions hinting at the state and age of the structure. “Unlikely, with the numerous Grimm residing inside the forest that surrounds the temple, applicants are already being tested in a multitude of ways. It seems pointless to further add complications such as traps for a simple initiation exam.”</p>
<p>With that said, the teen with shades advanced undeterred, his steps soft as he was followed by his companion.</p>
<p>Once inside, Kiba inspected the objects that rested upon the pillars, finding surprisingly that they were golden chess pieces, sixteen of them to be exact. There were four rooks, four bishops, four knights and four ruling pieces.</p>
<p>It was now clear that only sixteen candidates were going to pass the test. Out of thirty-two on the cell that had been assigned to that specific battle ground, Kiba thought the number of passing participants was still too high for the supposed difficulty of the academy.</p>
<p>“Well look at that Shino, who would have guessed the professor would be so dramatic” the painted boy said as he grinned at his partner before taking one of the king pieces.</p>
<p>The other boy remained silent as he too observed the golden pieces, either Kiba was right and the headmaster had a fair for the fantastic, or the pieces meant something specific. For the moment it was unimportant, therefore he proceeded to take the other king piece.</p>
<p>A movement from the foliage away drew their attention as they quickly stored the relics in their pockets before turning warily towards the suspected threat.</p>
<p>A golden fist punched through the web of branches that had been on its way before a beautiful golden-haired girl came from within as she dusted any remaining leafs away from her clothes. “See, I told you this was the way.” She said turning back to where an amber eyed girl stepped out from the wreckage, her bright violet eyes gleaming good-naturedly.</p>
<p>“i said there was a way around the bushes, not that it wasn’t that way” the black-haired girl replied in a slight grumble as she too dusted her clothes off any leafs and dirt.</p>
<p>Her amber eyes turned when she noticed the boys standing on the entrance of the temple, their stances now relaxed at the familiar sight. “Oh, it seems we were not the first team to arrive.” She said monotonously as she straightened her posture, her gaze remaining on the other duo.</p>
<p>“What?” The blond teen asked curiously as she turned to where her partner was gazing at, two boys standing on the steps of the altar that housed the relics they had come to retrieve.</p>
<p>The taller one, with a painted face and chestnut eyes lifted a hand in welcome as he waved softly at them, sharp canines glistening as he grinned amicably at them.</p>
<p>The other boy whose eyes were hidden in shades continued to stare impassively.</p>
<p>She grinned back, her hands holding the sides of her hips as she turned to her partner “Damn, I really wanted to be first” she said laughing merrily as she turned back to the male huntsmen in training. “Let’s go greet the competition and take these relics already, I’m due for a real shower soon” she continued as she stepped forward towards the temple.</p>
<p>Blake chose to remain silent as she followed her partner, eager to get over with this headache-inducing exam.</p>
<p>“Hey, name’s Kiba Inuzuka and this my partner Shino Aburame.” Said the tall boy as he pointed at his friend beside him and offered a hand in greeting, a friendly grin adorning his features. “Nice to meet you.”</p>
<p>The blond teen took the offered hand and shook it, a smile adorning her pretty lips “Yang Xiao-long, this is my partner-“</p>
<p>“Blake Belladona” interrupted the amber eyed teen rather uninterestedly as she passed by them and went to retrieve a relic.</p>
<p>“Forgive her, we had an accidental run-in with a very cold lake and now she’s mad at me” Yang said, amusement rolling off her voice as she smiled at her partner who was now growling softly.</p>
<p>Kiba laughed in response as he let his hand return to his side “It’s alright, you should see how Shino here gets when there is too much heat” he said turning to his teammate.</p>
<p>Despite the fact that his gaze was hidden by shades, Kiba could tell the other boy was getting annoyed. With a step to the side he let the gorgeous blond teen move forward to retrieve her objective as he allowed himself to study her figure.</p>
<p>She was certainly one of the finest women he had had the pleasure of meeting, her voluptuous body enticing his male instincts greatly.</p>
<p>Her golden mane was silky in its appearance as it curled at different points, making it look fuller and brighter than most other hair he’d seen. And her thin lips and button up nose were delicate in their deception of a significantly more feisty nature.</p>
<p>A beautiful woman indeed.</p>
<p>As he watched the pair of girls claim their relics he cleared his throat and approached the blond seductively “So yang, I was thinking, how about after this we go get a cup of coffee or something?” He said sharp canines glistening as he smirked playfully at her.</p>
<p>Blake rolled her eyes as she turned away and yang moved her gaze to her new acquaintance, a flirty smile adorning her features as she moved towards her partner “Sorry lover-boy, I ain’t interested in dating at the moment”</p>
<p>He smirked amusedly as he saw her take the knight piece she had retrieved to inspect it “Ouch, rejected on my first try? Well, what can you do…” he said shaking his head self-mockingly.</p>
<p>“If you’re done playing around, we should probably get going” a voice next to him said, making him turn to face Shino who was facing the large clearing with a hint of exasperation.</p>
<p>“Hey, nothing wrong with a little flirting once in a while” he replied, the corners of his mouth turning upwards amused at having bothered the normally stoic boy.</p>
<p>Black shades turned to him neutrally and Kiba had to hold back a laugh at Shino’s monotonous accusing gestures. </p>
<p>“You have done it fifty-seven times since we arrived at the academy” the face-covered boy said as he lifted a hand to adjust his glasses. “i’m frankly surprised no one has accused you of being a sexual deviant”</p>
<p>“Hey now, that’s insulting you know?” The tall boy said as he stepped beside his partner “besides I saw none of them complaining” he continued with a rather smug look.</p>
<p>Shino was about to retort when a shriek from above startled the four teens making them turn to look for the source of the sound.</p>
<p>Kiba lifted his hand to his forehead to prevent the sun from hitting his eyes directly as he       scanned the air for the person screaming, a red dot finally materializing in his field of vision. “What the hell?” He said, confused.</p>
<p>The girls similarly squinted trying to figure out who it was.</p>
<p>As the body kept falling rapidly, ivory skin and black reddish hair became identifiable. A young and delicate face contorted in alarm as she screamed her lungs away with a rather high pitched voice, revealing her to be a teenage girl.</p>
<p>Yang lifted a pretty eyebrow as she noticed the body that certainly resembled her sister flying at top speed towards the very hard ground “Ruby?” She asked confused.</p>
<p>Before the silver-eyed girl managed to land painfully, another sturdy form coming from the side at very rapid speeds collided with her, sending the pair of kids crashing against a tall tree standing at the edge of the clearing.</p>
<p>Ruby slid down the trunk of the tree until her bottom touched the surface of a branch, effectively stopping her fall. She groaned in discomfort at such chaotic travel, moving her limbs trying to regain full functionality of them.</p>
<p>Her eyes turned hearing a groan that wasn’t her own, finding a blond-haired boy hanging upside down from branches above her as he shook his head slightly disoriented.</p>
<p>His eyes turned to her before his face contorted apologetically “Sorry about that” he said chuckling nervously.</p>
<p>She only managed to shake her head in response “No problem” she mumbled.</p>
<p>He smiled rather awkwardly trying to untangle his legs from the obtrusive branches “I’m Jaune Arc by the way” he said extending a hand toward her.</p>
<p>She chuckled and took his hand helping him out of the vine trap restraining his feet. “Ruby Rose, Pleasure to meet you” she said once they both stood safely on the branch.</p>
<p>All the way back at the temple the four teenagers present observed the events with varying degrees of emotions.</p>
<p>Shino remained uncaring, instead getting rather impatient to return to their main objective, whereas Kiba stood wondering if that had actually happened.</p>
<p>Voicing his thoughts, the pretty dark-haired girl turned to purple-eyed woman “Did your sister just fall from the sky?” Disbelief coating her tone slightly.</p>
<p>“I…” Yang mumbled, yet wasn’t able to finish her statement before a massive rumble resonated throughout the clearing.</p>
<p>“What now?” Asked the lancer as he turned to the forest dumbfounded, the accumulation of all the current unlikely events taking place too astonishing for him.</p>
<p>At the other end of the clearing, the trees parted violently as the ground shook and shattered before a hulking beast rushed out from within, its menacing red eyes glowing softly as it roared in blind rage.</p>
<p>Behind him, an euphoric holler and a bright pink light resonated with the sound of a gunshot being fired, ultimately sending the monster to its demise.</p>
<p>Its large body fell forward on its face and the teenagers were finally able to identify the beast slayer, an orange-haired girl with jade-colored eyes wearing a long sleeved white shirt and a pink skirt.</p>
<p>The hyper-exited girl seemed to have no trouble in goofing around with the defeated monster. This prompted her partner, a handsome black-haired man with a single pink lock wearing a dark green tailcoat, to come out rather exhausted.</p>
<p>Before KIba was even aware, the newcomer had already crossed the distance and grabbed a rook chess piece with the apparent intent to inspect it.</p>
<p>Her vibrant green eyes observed for a few seconds fascinated the golden object she held in her soft hands and then threw herself into a celebration dance complete with singing and theatrics.</p>
<p>Kiba’s eyebrow twitched at the sheer weirdness of the girl, wondering deeply if she was sound of mind.</p>
<p>A loud “NORA!” Was heard and the girl immediately rushed back to her teammate showing no signs of shame or regret.</p>
<p>“Did that girl just ride on an Ursa?” Blake once again voiced all their thoughts, her silky voice echoing in the small area.</p>
<p>“I…” similarly said yang as she attempted to reconcile the current situation before she was completely interrupted anew.</p>
<p>A loud roar coming from the opposite side of the forest grabbed their attention as another row of trees was easily unearthed and pushed aside with the might of a colossal Grimm.</p>
<p>A girl wearing golden armor with apple-red hair fled away towards the center of the clearing as she was being chased by the incredibly fast deathstalker, its pincers aiming and trying to sever the girl in half.</p>
<p>Abruptly, the red-caped girl who had previously crashed against the tree dropped close to them, approaching the blond teenager hurriedly “Yang!” She cried relieved, lifting her arms intending to hug her.</p>
<p>The brawler in turn faced her dear sister and stepped closer as well “Ruby!” she exclaimed happily, mimicking the younger girl.</p>
<p>They were interrupted however, by the hyper-active girl who had been there moments before, yelling “Nora!” From between them as if it was the most natural thing to do.</p>
<p>Blake on her part was still focused on the giant Grimm chasing the invincible girl. “Did she just run all the way here with a Deathstalker on her tail?” She asked rather impressed.</p>
<p>Yang couldn’t hold her composure any longer and yelled out her frustrated thoughts “Uggrrh, I can’t take it anymore! Could everybody just chill out for two seconds before something crazy happens again?”</p>
<p>Kiba was rather inclined to agree. The succession of events was rather headache inducing, yet as soon as the girl uttered those words another deafening roar echoed throughout the clearing, startling the teenagers inside the temple.</p>
<p>“Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me!” Exclaimed once again the lilac-eyed teen, her hands holding her hips as her face contorted in a frown. She remained gazing at the forest darkened by the heavy amounts of leaves at the top of the trees, waiting for the next ridiculous monster to come out of hiding along with a pair of extravagant huntsmen in training.</p>
<p>“Um yang?” Called her sister at her side, prompting the blond to turn to her curiously.</p>
<p>The other five teens turned to her as well, sharing her intrigue.</p>
<p>Ruby only needed to point upwards for the whole group to direct their gaze at the giant Nevermore flying above them with the heir of the Schnee company hanging from one of its claws.</p>
<p>“How could you leave me?” Yelled the snow-themed girl trying to hold onto the beast as she directed her ire to her partner.</p>
<p>“I said Jump” Defended Ruby as they continued to observe the predicament in which the white-haired teen remained.</p>
<p>“She’s gonna fall” assured Blake with her arms crossed as she observed impassively.</p>
<p>“She’ll be fine” Ruby replied trying to sound optimistic.</p>
<p>“She’s falling” Finished the newcomer Lie Ren, who was observing beside his partner.</p>
<p>Unbelievably, the boy who had crashed against Ruby and stopped her fall, jumped away from the branches and caught the falling girl in his arms, his infatuation and bravado transparent to both Kiba and Shino.</p>
<p>Unsurprisingly, he willfully ignored the fact that he too was now suspended in mid air with nothing to stop his fall. The consequences were obvious.</p>
<p>The pair fell, screaming as they impacted against the hard ground, Jaune facing down and Weiss on his back using his body as a cushion.</p>
<p>On the other side of the glade, where the forest had managed to remain intact, a massive black creature demolished its way through the rows of trees as its earsplitting roar echoed loudly through the air. Two separate bodies came flying out, being propelled away from the powerful swing of the beast’s gargantuan arm.</p>
<p>Shino’s gaze for the first time showed an inkling of interest as he was able to identify blond hair and a set of flamboyant orange clothes.</p>
<p>Naruto maneuvered in the air regaining his balance before he landed in a powerful crouch as he skidded backwards, the strength of the Grimm somewhat surprising.</p>
<p>The other body, his partner, with inhuman agility spun rapidly around himself before landing softly and noiselessly, resembling a feline rather disturbingly.</p>
<p>Before anyone else could make a comment, the incredibly handsome newcomer turned to the orange clad hunter in training who was now standing, mild dislike reflected in his black orbs “You just had to open your mouth, didn’t you?” He said accusingly.</p>
<p>Not missing a beat, the blue eyed boy faced him defensively “How was I supposed to know that an Alpha was living on these forests?”</p>
<p>Rolling his eyes, the midnight haired teenager crossed his arms on his chest before responding snidely “Aren’t you supposed to be the expert? Great help your shortcut did for us by the way, moron” sarcasm rolling easily from his tone.</p>
<p>Naruto on his part frowned as his eyebrow twitched in irritation before he replied just as mockingly “i didn’t see you complain before its ugly face stood in front of us, in fact you were the one following me, stupid.”</p>
<p>Sasuke’s eyes narrowed as he directed a quivering smirk to his partner “Only because I thought you knew what you were doing, genius”.</p>
<p>Naruto gave him a shivering grin as his irritation showed clearly on his face “Well there you go, glad you finally admitted it was your fault. Maybe next time you’ll come up with a useful suggestion yourself.”</p>
<p>The raven’s eyebrow twitched before he regulated his breathing and closed his eyes trying to calm himself, standing upright and making a mocking gesture with his arm “oh don’t worry, a braindead monkey could come up with better plans than you. i’m sure i’ll have no trouble whatsoever.”</p>
<p>A vein popped in the blond’s forehead as he faced his partner in unadulterated aggravation “You bastard!”</p>
<p>“Naruto?” A voice coming a few meters behind them made both boys turn to find that they had been the subject of entertainment and observation for the past several seconds. A handful of other teenagers staring at their rather aggressive banter since their arrival.</p>
<p>The voice belonged to the young girl with the red cape who was now observing relieved that she had found her friend again. Without thinking, she approached rapidly and embraced the blond as she exclaimed happily “Naruto!”</p>
<p>“Hey Ruby, it’s been awhile.” The cerulean-eyed boy responded as he ruffled her hair, glancing past her to find both Yang and Blake standing next to each other “Yang” he said nodding.</p>
<p>“It is you hotshot, for a moment I thought we’d lost you to the wolves” the lilac-eyed girl replied teasingly before crossing her arms against her bosom.</p>
<p>Naruto snorted before turning to the bow-wearing girl and giving her a small meaningful smile, being reciprocated with a short wave before the girl turned her amber gaze away from his. He then turned to find the other teenagers standing somewhat awkwardly.</p>
<p>He recognized the duo he had been inspecting the day prior, the tall boy wearing face paint with a burly frame and the intellectual-looking man whose eyes were hidden in shades. For a brief instant he felt tension arise between himself and the pair before he turned to the other teens currently watching enraptured.</p>
<p>A boy wearing a green tailcoat and a girl with a pink skirt stood observing serene and curious, respectively. He had seen them the day before too and immediately he could tell how strong they were, he was especially surprised at the small girl who seemed to be content no matter what was happening around her.</p>
<p>At this point Ruby had let go of her embrace and turned to the man she had met the prior night. He had remained staring indifferently at the small reunion, his previous purple hoodie no longer covering his large frame. Instead, a sleeveless grey shirt covered his top, revealing defined muscular arms that had been previously hidden by the baggy clothing.</p>
<p>“Hi there, Sasuke was it? Are you by any chance Naruto’s partner?” she said brightly, making the group turn to the other boy who had chosen to remain quiet.</p>
<p>Shino frowned deeply as his eyes centered on his form. He had absolutely no recollection of that individual ever being near their group. He went through the whole list of applicants he had seen and studied on their small cell, no outstanding individuals besides the ones standing beside him flashing on his mind.</p>
<p>There remained the possibility that he was simply an unremarkable huntsman in training, yet that was contradicted directly by the aerial maneuvers he had performed just moments before.</p>
<p>His eyes narrowed further and his body stiffened as he realized that the midnight haired boy standing beside the fox Faunus was completely unreadable to him.</p>
<p>His aura levels were insignificant, his body condition was seemingly average and he couldn’t determine his mental processes due to the sheer serenity and indifference in his posture and body language.</p>
<p>It was only due to the boy’s extraordinary arrival that he even registered on his radar. Shino had always considered himself to be highly observant, having the patience and focus to make clear and concise observations of his surroundings, storing them for the time it was needed to act in the most efficient manner. It was unnerving that he had missed a whole other candidate for a spot in the academy.</p>
<p>Worse yet, he had spent the previous day thoroughly gathering information on his competition and the individual attributes they possessed. For someone to remain unnoticed while he actively dissected the whole group, was something that should not have been at all possible.</p>
<p>This development, coupled with the mysterious existence of the Faunus with inhuman levels of aura, puzzled him utterly.</p>
<p>Kiba noticed how rigid his partner had become all of a sudden, gazing at him for a moment before turning towards the pale boy standing beside the blond applicant.</p>
<p>His immediate thought directly betrayed the dislike provoked by his presence, surprisingly for much more shallow reasons. The boy who had just manifested before them was, undeniably, unspeakably attractive. His facial features were pristine and soft-looking with the exception of his sharp, intelligent eyes, paradoxically holding masculine allure. It was, in his perspective, as if he had been taken right out of a popular magazine. If it wasn’t for some very masculine traits in the bone structure of his face, he would have even ventured to say the guy could pass off for a woman.</p>
<p>He noticed the slight blush dusting the golden-haired girl’s cheeks as she continued to observe conflicted. Similarly, the weird girl who had remained unstoppable so far, looked on with wide curious eyes and a diminutive blush as if she was admiring a painting. Heck, even the blond guy who had used his body to stop the heiress’s fall and approached the group after recovering, presented a small blush at seeing the factions of the newcomer.</p>
<p>That only meant he was going to become an annoying obstacle for him as he tried to date girls around campus. He did indeed very much dislike the guy already.</p>
<p>“Unfortunately, yes. I still don’t understand what I did in my previous life to suffer such fate.” the onyx-eyed boy replied to Ruby, disappointment clearly written across his features.</p>
<p>“Hey!” Exclaimed the man at his side insulted.</p>
<p>Yang moved to cover her mouth to prevent a laugh from escaping, the strange banter between the two boys more amusing to her than she expected. “Glad to see you made it here too Sasuke. You guys are just in time for our timely deaths at the hands of these oversized monsters” she said turning to the Deathstalker and the alpha Beowulf that were surrounding them, the group following her lead.</p>
<p>Not an instant later the form of the red-haired warrior crashed at their feet, having been repelled by the assault of the dangerous Grimm.</p>
<p>“Not if I can help it” said Ruby taking the lead and charging at the Deathstalker, drawing her scythe from her back and firing backwards to propel herself further and strike decisively at the marauding monster.</p>
<p>As the girl engaged in a heated battle with beast, Sasuke turned to start walking leisurely towards the temple, his hands resting in his pockets unconcerned of the current situation.</p>
<p>Naruto, alerted by the movement at his side, faced his partner curiously “Where are you going now?”</p>
<p>The raven glanced back to him before pointing at the golden objects resting on the pillars. “we’re already here, might as well take our prize” he said as he continued his slow stride.</p>
<p>Shino eyed him warily as he passed by them, unsure of how to categorize the new addition to his data pool.</p>
<p>Kiba instead offered simply a look of mild contempt, crossing his arms and observing from the side.</p>
<p>Seeing no point In disagreeing, Naruto headed after his partner, stepping over the small stairs and facing the collection of relics that remained. The fact that the ultimate prizes were chess pieces intrigued him a little, yet he wasted no time as he approached a particular pillar and grabbed a queen piece.</p>
<p>He turned to see that his teammate had done the same, eying the relic in his hands apathetically.</p>
<p>A loud screech alerted the pair that the Nevermore had returned and joined in on the scuffle the red-hooded girl was having with the massive scorpion.</p>
<p>Iron-hard feathers had rained down on her and pinned her to the ground by her large cape as the other monster advanced unimpeded.</p>
<p>Naruto had the urge to rush and help his friend but a hand on his shoulder prevented him from doing so, his azure gaze turning to face black pools staring down at him passively.</p>
<p>Sasuke glanced past him and Naruto followed his lead, finding that Weiss had taken the role of rescuer in the situation as she created a large-sized ice structure that momentarily stopped the beast’s assault.</p>
<p>The pale boy strolled casually out of the temple, leaving Naruto surprised at his perceptiveness.</p>
<p>The blond for his part, carefully stored the relic on his clothes before stepping beside him as they abandoned the temple.</p>
<p>Outside, the altercation seemed to come to a ephemeral close with the red-hooded girl embracing her sister and the girls joining with the rest of the teenagers.</p>
<p>A belligerent roar coming from the airborne Nevermore drew their attention as the creature centered its crimson gaze on them, its massive body threateningly surrounding their position.</p>
<p>Jaune Arc, the flaxen-haired teammate of Pyrrha Nikos pointed at the hellish avian flapping its pitch-black wings as he addressed the small crowd nervously “Um, guys. That thing’s circling back. What do we do?”</p>
<p>Naruto observed him contemplatively as he reconciled the fact that the boy who had seemed the least likely to pass the trial was now standing between the students most likely to become recruits.</p>
<p>It was finally Weiss who responded to the boy’s comment “Look, there’s no sense in dillydallying. Our objective is right in front of us.” She said motioning to the remaining relics.</p>
<p>Ruby immediately agreed, supporting her partner’s idea “She’s right. Our mission is to grab an artifact and make it back to the cliffs.” She said nodding to the heiress, receiving an affirmative nod in exchange.</p>
<p>Her silver eyes scanned through the remaining faces, trying to convey her message “We don’t have to fight these things”</p>
<p>Naruto raised an eyebrow in silent disagreement, his knowledge on the creatures told him they were simply not going to outrun the Grimm. Despite that, he agreed to go along with the plan, curiosity on Ruby’s potential dictating his actions.</p>
<p>Sasuke shrugged, not caring either way since he had satiated his thirst for battle earlier in his confrontation with his now partner.</p>
<p>Kiba and Shino shared an unsure glance, finding the plan not well thought out.</p>
<p>Jaune stepped forward responding to Ruby enthusiastically “Run and live, that is an idea I can get behind.”</p>
<p>Finding no objection, the teens lacking a relic headed for the remaining objects in the temple before joining back with the group and rushing full speed towards the dense concentration of trees separating them from the cliffs.</p>
<p>As they ran, a dreadful bellow resonated through the forest, signaling the escape of the Deathstalker from its ice prison. Its grotesque appendages moved in synchronized motion to close the distance between the creature and its prey.</p>
<p>Being pursued by the Deathstalker from the ground, and the Nevermore from the sky they quickly crossed the dense ensemble of trees in agitation, arriving at an arid field surrounded by stone ruins and columns.</p>
<p>Before they could get even a second of rest however, a colossal shadow drowned the entire group as the remaining creature ambushed them from the side.</p>
<p>Its massive size did nothing to diminish its tremendous agility and enormous physical strength.</p>
<p>Pyrrha, with her impeccable battle instincts was the first to react, hoisting her partner on her shoulder and jumping out of the monster’s attack range.</p>
<p>Yang pulled her sister with her before throwing herself away from the roaring Grimm as Blake and Weiss stumbled in their exit from sheer surprise.</p>
<p>The other teenagers similarly, managed to make their retreat without trouble.</p>
<p>Not an instant after, the ground quivered and fractured furiously as the gargantuan arm of the beast impacted with overwhelming strength, lifting a curtain of dust and debris that blinded the teens momentarily.</p>
<p>Kiba narrowed his chestnut eyes in apprehension, recognizing the physical prowess of their enemy. It was clear that the Grimm before them was not going to let them advance any longer.</p>
<p>Shino stood quietly, studying the movements of the Alpha. He had great knowledge but little experience facing this particular strain of monster. Defeating it would require of tremendous effort from his part. His hand lifted to carefully adjust his shades.</p>
<p>Naruto observed irritated, not expecting the creature to be as intelligent to attempt a surprise attack. It had however, turned out how he predicted, the triad had quickly caught up with them. Continuing further would be completely pointless.</p>
<p>Sasuke remained nonchalant. Having handled the initial assault back in the cave, he was unsurprised by the combat abilities of the Alpha Beowulf. Still, it seemed they were going to have to fight it off. An amused smirk rose from his lips.</p>
<p>Yang stood up, helping Ruby as well. She was breathing heavily from the strenuous movement as she hadn’t expected an attack from the side.</p>
<p>Similarly Blake and Weiss found themselves collecting their breaths and facing the creature standing before them.</p>
<p>Pyrrha put down her teammate safely, quickly drawing her weapons and entering a fighting stance as she thought of a strategy to engage.</p>
<p>“Damn, we were so close” huffed Ruby as she recovered from the impact, her gaze wary on the massive Alpha.</p>
<p>“What now?” Said Jaune as he stared fearfully at the monster that had been seconds away from pulverizing them.</p>
<p>Blake gritted her teeth in dismay, the situation was becoming worse by the second and the remaining creatures were going to overwhelm them if they didn’t think of a plan fast.</p>
<p>Naruto took a step forward drawing the attention of the whole group, his form imposing and serious.</p>
<p>“You guys go on ahead toward the cliffs, I’ll keep this guy busy” he said without turning, his voice raspy as he withdrew his blades from their holsters.</p>
<p>Jade and sapphire gleamed strikingly as the sun’s rays fell on his weapons, casting an image of admirable courage and strength to his peers.</p>
<p>Ruby’s eyes widened in dismay, thinking that the golden-haired boy would not be able to handle the titan by himself. “No wait, if we all work together maybe—“</p>
<p>She was interrupted when a hand ruffled her hair roughly, her eyes turning to Sasuke as he calmly strolled forward stopping beside his partner. His left hand was hidden inside his pocket. “Those things are going to catch up soon. Better get going”. He said snapping his neck as he observed the monster with anticipation.</p>
<p>The girls observed in bewilderment, reluctance to leave clear in their eyes.</p>
<p>Pyrrha turned her gaze between the two boys confused, her stance falling as she scrutinized them and their peculiar behavior. As a battle strategy, engaging separately in this manner was undesirable. If either of them was defeated, the other would not be able to engage any longer. Fighting as a group would be far more productive, despite the fact that another attack by the Deathstalker and the Nevermore was incoming.</p>
<p>Kiba stepped up to the other side of the blond as he directed a feral grin at the Alpha, if a fight was inevitable he’d rather much have it in his terms “Don’t think I’ll let you guys have all the fun.”</p>
<p>Finally Shino sighed in weariness, finding no point in delaying the impending battle. With slow steps he stood beside his partner and the two teens that had sent his head in disarray since the exam had started. It was finally time to end it all.</p>
<p>Naruto turned finding the perplexed gazes of the remaining students, gracing them with a confident grin before addressing them excitedly “Well what are you waiting for, we’ll be fine. In fact, if you guys don’t hurry, I’ll beat you to the top you know.”</p>
<p>Ruby’s eyes widened before they narrowed in resolution, she quickly shared a glance with her sister and partner before turning to the whiskered teen again. “Be careful, alright?”</p>
<p>The blond only grinned before turning to the creature ahead.</p>
<p>Pyrrha, Lie Ren, and Weiss observed apprehensive but did not object.</p>
<p>“Alright guys, let’s go” Ruby said commanding the group with the exception of the four boys to keep going. They resumed their rapid pace towards the finish line just in time for the Nevermore and the Deathstalker to arrive.</p>
<p>Their heinous screeching reverberated throughout the field, chilling the bones of the students as they increased the distance from their pursuers.</p>
<p>The creatures, recognizing the large group of humans and the Faunus girl, did not stop to support the alpha in its assault against the quartet.</p>
<p>In the hollow wasteland, the four teens remained. Their hearts fearless of the enemy they were about to face, the true test of their abilities finally in sight.</p>
<p>“Well guys, Let’s get this party started.”</p>
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